A new law intended to stop state and local agencies from aiding in civil immigration enforcement takes effect Aug. 25. But as the deadline approaches, some agencies are signaling they won’t fully comply, with some seeking ways to continue assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while others vow to defy the law outright.
The “Local Cops, Local Crimes Act,” passed by the state Legislature in May as part of this year’s fiscal budget, provides new protections for noncitizens and prohibits local law enforcement agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements, which have allowed trained local officers since 1996 to conduct certain immigration enforcement duties under ICE supervision in exchange for federal funding. The legislation also bans other types of ICE contracts known as Immigration Intergovernmental Service Agreements that authorize the use of local jails for housing people solely for civil immigration violations.
According to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office, the provision banning 287(g) agreements aims to ensure local law enforcement resources are directed to local public safety priorities rather than federal immigration enforcement…