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Two SUNY Upstate Medical University workers from North Syracuse were granted bail on Thursday (February 13) after spending four months in a federal immigration detention center. The couple, Yannier Vazquez Hidalgo and Alicbiades “Alex” Lazaro Ramirez Gonzalez, both originally from Cuba, had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last fall while attending a routine immigration appointment, according to CNYCentral.
The married couple, who had built their lives and careers in Syracuse, fled Cuba seeking asylum in the United States because of persecution for being gay. Both worked at Upstate Hospital—Gonzalez as a supervisor in the environmental services department and Hidalgo as a janitor. Hospital colleagues described them as "exemplary employees."
Last month, an immigration judge ordered both men to be deported to Ecuador, a country neither has lived in, under a policy allowing the U.S. to send asylum seekers to a third country deemed safe. The couple argued they would face persecution in both Cuba and Ecuador due to their sexual orientation, as reported by Syracuse.com.
After appealing their deportation orders in January, the court on Thursday allowed both men to post bond—set at $5,000 each—while their appeal is pending. The union representing SUNY Upstate workers, United University Professions, confirmed the news and is helping raise funds for bond and legal fees. Union president Fred Kowal said that advocates were surprised by the judge’s decision, given recent policies by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The couple’s future remains uncertain as their appeal continues. Supporters and advocacy groups are rallying and contacting lawmakers in hopes of halting the deportations and reuniting them with their Syracuse community, noted WSYR-TV. The deadline for Hidalgo’s appeal is February 22.
At this time, it is unknown if Gonzalez and Hidalgo will return to work at Upstate Hospital. Their eligibility for release on bail does not guarantee they can stay in the United States, but it does allow them to reunite with their community as they continue to fight their case.