New York Governor Kathy Hochul
Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed banning formal cooperation agreements between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, arguing that immigration enforcement should not come at the expense of community trust or public safety.
At a press conference in Manhattan, Hochul unveiled legislation that would outlaw so-called 287(g) agreements, which allow local police or jails to assist ICE with civil immigration enforcement. Eleven municipalities in New York currently have such agreements, including Nassau County, whose arrangement has drawn particular attention.
Hochul said local police should focus on "local crimes," not civil immigration matters, and emphasized that ICE has sufficient resources of its own, as City and State New York reported. "We're sending a strong message to ICE: You will not weaponize local police officers against their own communities in the state of New York," she said.
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The governor said New York would continue cooperating with federal authorities to apprehend people convicted of serious crimes, but rejected arguments that local law enforcement must partner with ICE to keep communities safe.
Hochul cited the recent deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis as a turning point, calling recent enforcement actions a "blatant, dangerous abuse of power" and renewing her call for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.
The Department of Homeland Security criticized Hochul's proposal, warning it would make New York less safe. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said through a statement that partnerships with local law enforcement are "key to removing criminal illegal aliens," and urged the state to turn over individuals held on immigration detainers.
Hochul's move stops short of fully endorsing the New York for All Act, a broader package backed by immigrant advocates, but she acknowledged for the first time that she supports parts of that legislation. "This is not the end of the conversation," she said, adding that she wants to continue talks with lawmakers.
The proposal comes as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has taken a more confrontational stance toward ICE. In recent media appearances, Mamdani said he supports abolishing ICE, calling it "a rogue agency" that he said "is terrorizing people no matter their immigration status."
Mamdani also told NY1 last week that New York City does not need ICE to ensure public safety. "We have the NYPD for that," he said, adding that ICE raids create "a climate of terror and fear." While Hochul has avoided endorsing calls to abolish ICE, her proposal aligns with broader efforts by Democratic leaders in New York to limit the agency's footprint and role in local policing.
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Tags: New york, New York City, Kathy Hochul, Zohran mamdani, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin
