Gov. Kathy Hochul launched laws on Friday in search of to ban native regulation enforcement from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), condemning the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown and saying the state should “act in this moment of tyranny.”
The “Local Cops, Local Crimes Act” would prohibit cooperative 287(G) agreements between native police departments and the federal authorities that permit ICE to deputize native officers to behave as federal brokers and help in immigration enforcement. There are at the least 10 287(G) agreements in New York State — up from only one at first of 2025.
The governor pulled no punches towards President Donald Trump and his administration relating to their method to immigration, condemning ICE killings this month of U.S. residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
“This is not just about immigration policy; this is about a blatant, dangerous abuse of power,” stated Hochul, who introduced the laws on Jan. 30 in Manhattan alongside Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Brooklyn District Legal professional Eric Gonzalez, Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg, Albany Police Division Chief Brendan Cox and different regulation enforcement officers.
The governor stated ICE’s actions of “unspeakable acts of violence” have disillusioned and horrified many New Yorkers.
“In every corner of our state, New Yorkers are feeling traumatized and stunned as they watch federal agents carry out unspeakable acts of violence in a country they no longer recognize,” Hochul stated. “For weeks, our eyes have been turned to the horrors unfolding in the streets of Minneapolis.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul stated Friday that ICE’s actions of “unspeakable acts of violence” have disillusioned and horrified many New Yorkers.Susan Watts/Workplace of Governor Kathy Hochul
Tisch, supporting the laws, stated New York Metropolis is proof {that a} ban on 287(G) agreements will likely be a optimistic step for public security. The NYPD doesn’t have interaction in civil immigration enforcement and doesn’t ask people their immigration standing.
“When federal immigration operations come into a city and generate fear, anger, unrest, local police do not get to walk away from the consequences,” Tisch stated. “That makes the job harder, and our communities less safe.”
Tisch affirmed the continued significance of working with federal companions, such because the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, on “serious criminal matters.”
Invoice ‘protects trust between police and communities’: Hochul
The NYPD doesn’t have interaction in civil immigration enforcement and doesn’t ask people their immigration standing, as Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch reaffirmed on Friday.Susan Watts/Workplace of Governor Kathy Hochul
Elected officers throughout the town and state have condemned ICE’s onslaught in Minneapolis, the place roughly 3,000 ICE officers have been mobilized — outnumbering the town’s 600-person police division five-to-one. Officers have detained a number of U.S. residents and have, in lots of instances, reportedly did not comply with almost 100 courtroom orders in January alone.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey requested elected officers throughout the nation on Thursday to “speak up” towards the immigration crackdown, warning that “your city is next.”
Below the proposed laws, native jails and assets throughout New York State could be restricted from immigration enforcement and native officers could be barred from being deputized to implement immigration regulation.
The laws seeks to “keep local police focused on fighting local crime,” “prevents ICE from diverting local law enforcement resources,” and “protects trust between police and communities,” based on Hochul.
Hochul stated she plans to “work closely with my partners in the legislature to get this passed as quickly as possible.”
“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that our law enforcement has enough on their hands and our DAs have enough to do without turning into deputized ICE agents here in New York,” as a result of this has gotten out of hand, she stated.
New York Metropolis has seen elevated immigration enforcement because the begin of Trump’s second time period in January 2025, with officers detaining immigrants arriving for routine hearings — separating households and arresting courtroom observers and elected officers within the dragnet.
The laws would proceed to permit native police to work with ICE and different federal regulation enforcement in detaining “dangerous criminals” and would proceed to permit native police to assist in crowd management at protests and through federal operations, Hochul stated.
“We will always cooperate with the federal government to bring violent criminals to justice, full stop, that’s not a change in policy,” Hochul stated. “However, it does not mean that New York State will stand for flagrant abuse of power under the guise of public safety.”
Throughout Hochul’s Jan. 13 State of the State tackle, she introduced a bit of laws that might prohibit ICE raids at “sensitive” areas together with faculties, locations of worship, and hospitals.
At Friday’s announcement, she stated she is including houses to the checklist, noting that ICE just lately approved its officers to enter houses with no warrant, a transfer with questionable constitutionality beneath the Fourth Modification.
“Since the federal government is more than willing to ignore the constitution to suit their own purposes, I’m gonna codify that into state law,” Hochul stated.
‘A republic, if you can keep it’
Hochul, who has taken an more and more robust stance towards the federal authorities all through the primary yr of Trump’s second time period, warned that she sees the US turning into “unrecognizable.” She invoked Benjamin Franklin’s well-known adage that the founding fathers created “a republic, if you can keep it.”
“I never thought in my lifetime that republic would be so fragile, our democracy being ripped apart at the seams,” Hochul stated. “To the patriots of 250 years ago and the patriots of today, some in this room, I’m here to say, we intend to keep our republic and our democracy strong.”
The Authorized Support Society cheered the announcement in an announcement, calling the proposed laws a “welcome step toward protecting immigrant New Yorkers from harmful federal overreach.”
“While New York City’s existing sanctuary and detainer laws already prohibit such collaboration, this measure is a significant step for the rest of the state, affirming that New York celebrates and protects immigrant communities,” the assertion reads.
Authorized Support known as on the state to enact the New York For All Act, which seeks to ban the disclosure of immigration standing to the federal authorities and prohibit native and state officers from questioning people about their citizenship or immigration standing.
Spokespeople for the Division of Homeland Safety didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
