15 New York sheriffs sue to stop law limiting agencies from cooperating with ICE
Fifteen sheriffs across New York state are suing Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James over a new law that limits local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The law went into effect Tuesday.
James issued subpoenas to agencies that didn't confirm plans to unwind their agreements with ICE or whose responses were deemed unsatisfactory. They went out to sheriff's offices in Broome, Steuben, Nassau and Rensselaer counties as well as the Nassau County Police Department. The Broome County Sherriff's office said it was in compliance, but joined the lawsuit against the law as well.
A host of sheriffs then filed a lawsuit asking for the legislation to be declared unconstitutional. They want to immediately stop the state from enforcing the law.
The sheriffs are arguing they have the authority to decide if their counties cooperate with federal agents because they are independently elected. The lawsuit states that agencies can't be forced to end agreements they made legally with the federal government.
Hochul and James released a joint statement about the lawsuit, saying it's a waste of taxpayer dollars.
"Many of the 12 entities with these agreements have complied without incident, and the vast majority of New York's law enforcement agencies were already successfully protecting their communities without any collaboration with ICE. The claim that these sheriffs cannot do the same says more about them than it does about the law," part of the statement read.
A spokesperson for James said if agencies don't comply with the subpoenas, they will file a civil suit.
Nassau's sheriff was not listed as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, despite County Executive Bruce Blakeman refusing to nullify a cooperation agreement with ICE. Blakeman is expected to make an announcement regarding Nassau County's agreement with ICE Wednesday afternoon.
Blakeman, who is running as Republican in gubernatorial election against Gov. Kathy Hochul, has previously defended working with ICE to remove what he said were about 2,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records.
"Kathy Hochul, where do you want those guns? What neighborhood do you want to destroy? Where do you want those drugs? What community do you want to destroy? Where do you want those illegal immigrants with criminal records to live? You want it back in New York? We say no," Blakeman said at the time.
