New York, NY—Today, Governor Hochul announced the introduction of the “Local Cops, Local Crime Act”, which outlines a framework to limit 287(g) agreements in New York, partial safeguards for sensitive locations, keep local police focused on fighting local crime, and prevent ICE from diverting local law enforcement resources.
Collusion between ICE and local law enforcement is informal and largely opaque and extends beyond formal partnerships with local law enforcement to affect numerous aspects of state and local operations, from local jails and probation to public-facing services and benefits. While 287(g) agreements represent one component of federal-local collaboration, the Governor’s proposal does not fully address these broader mechanisms, leaving gaps in protections for immigrant New Yorkers.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“As Minneapolis reels from the federal attacks on its residents, NY Governor Hochul's actions mark an important step to protect all New Yorkers from federal overreach and abuse – made possible by the sustained pressure and leadership of immigrant communities and advocates demanding real and urgent protections. The Governor’s proposal recognizes that there are significant gaps in our state laws that enable New York localities to be complicit with Trump’s mass deportation agenda, but we must go further to eliminate the full spectrum of how collusion functions in our state.
“We look forward to working closely with the Governor and the State Legislature, led by Speaker Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Stewart Cousins, to pass legislation that effectively ends all collusion between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities immediately – the New York for All Act. The New York for All Act is the comprehensive bill required to prohibit both formal and informal collusion with ICE and ensure that no local tax dollars or public resources are used to advance Trump’s deportation agenda.
“At a time when federal immigration enforcement is incentivized to detain and deport as many people as possible without due process, we must center the safety and rights of immigrant families and the state must do everything in its power to protect all New Yorkers from being swept into ICE’s dragnets. We thank the Governor for recognizing the urgency of our needs.”