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A coalition of more than 12 New York sheriffs filed federal litigation Tuesday challenging a state law that prohibits law enforcement agencies from maintaining cooperative agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on civil immigration matters. Led by Rensselaer County Sheriff Kyle Bourgault, the lawsuit contends the statute violates the Constitution and improperly strips elected sheriffs of authority to enter federally sanctioned immigration enforcement partnerships.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act in May, and the measure became effective Tuesday, barring state and local police from partnering with federal authorities on civil immigration cases. The law also prohibits new agreements to detain civil immigration offenders, requiring that existing detention contracts be dissolved within three months of enactment. Police retain authority to assist ICE in investigations involving violent crimes or other non-immigration felonies.
Hochul responded defiantly to the legal challenge, declaring at a press conference that she welcomes renewed litigation over the statute, which courts have previously upheld. She warned that any law enforcement agency maintaining ICE cooperation agreements faces state legal action and threatened to pursue localities refusing to comply with the new restrictions.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued subpoenas to sheriff’s offices in Broome, Steuben, Nassau and Rensselaer counties, plus the Nassau County Police Department, for failing to confirm plans to terminate their ICE agreements. The attorney general’s office pledged to file civil suits against agencies that do not respond satisfactorily to the subpoenas.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Hochul’s Republican challenger, indicated he would “probably” join the sheriffs’ lawsuit and previously defended his county’s ICE partnership, citing approximately 2,000 individuals with criminal records targeted for removal.
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