New York immigration law restricting ICE cooperation takes effect

New Yorks Local Cops Local Crimes Act takes effect Tuesday, barring local police from entering or maintaining agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for civil immigration enforcement and detention in local jails, setting up a potential legal fight involving Nassau County. Gov. Kathy Hochul said local police should focus on local crimes and keeping crime down rather than diverting resources to enforce civil immigration issues. State officials said 13 counties had such agreements when Hochul signed the measure into law in May, with 11 counties indicating they would end arrangements by the deadline while Rensselaer and Nassau weighed their options.

Hochul said the law defines the boundary for police assistance on immigration matters.

"Local police will assist ICE only if a real crime has been committed, but on civil immigration matters, ICE is on their own," Hochul said. Hochul also warned that agencies and sheriffs offices that disobey the statute would face legal action.

"Let me be clear, any police department or sheriff's office that disobeys this law, that maintains any agreement with ICE, will face legal action," Hochul said. In Nassau County, Executive Bruce Blakeman said the county was considering whether to comply while Hochul urged enforcement against noncompliance.

"No county executive should think that they are above the law in the state of New York," Hochul said. State enforcement is underway through subpoenas seeking information on compliance. "The state Attorney General's Office of Immigrant Trust has issued subpoenas to both Nassau County police and the Nassau County sheriff," ABC7NY reported.

Immigration advocates protested outside Nassau County police headquarters in Mineola, calling implementation a test of whether the policy will be applied.

"And though we passed these laws, we're not taking our foot off the gas. We know that implementation is where policies can go to die, and we will not let this happen," Natalia Aristizabal said. A key legal question is whether Nassau could challenge the statute in court on grounds it infringes on local governing authority, along with whether New York could withhold federal funding for counties that refuse to comply.