ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Democratic U.S. Congressmember Paul Tonko of New York called for the end of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He cited recent deadly shootings by agents and damage to the New York economy.
Rep. Tonko spoke at his Albany office on Thursday morning, saying that 2025 was the deadliest year for the agency in decades, tallying 32 people dying in custody last year, and more in 2026. He cited the teargassing of legal observers, detaining of children, and shooting deaths Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good as evidence that the agency is out of control.
Tonko doesn’t want to eliminate immigration laws, but argued that ICE isn’t following its national security mission. And beyond the terror and chaos, he said ICE enforcement hurts local industries like hospitality, agriculture, and tourism.
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According to Tonko, those sectors need migrant workers to operate. He argued that many such workers at farms, restaurants, and race tracks are targeted based on skin color despite having no criminal record…