New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Jan. 30 proposed legislation that would bar state and local law enforcement agencies from signing or maintaining agreements that allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate certain immigration enforcement functions to local officers.
The proposal, which Hochul’s office called the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, would void New York’s existing 287(g) agreements and prohibit federal agents from using local detention centers for civil immigration enforcement, including what the governor described as “mass raids” and detainee transport. Hochul’s office said the bill would not prevent state or local police from working with federal law enforcement on criminal investigations.
