State Budget Deal Looks to Restrict ICE Agreements in New York, But Immigrant Advocates Want Harder Stance

"Advocates and progressive state lawmakers continue to call for passage of the New York for All Act, which would prohibiting local law enforcement agencies from carrying out civil immigration enforcement in any way. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced a handshake deal on New York State's 2027 budget, which is expected to include policy changes aimed at protecting immigrant communities from the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign."

"During President Donald Trump's second term, federal immigration agents have ramped up arrests of immigrants without criminal records and staged mass, visible raids on homes, workplaces, and commercial streets. The surge in ICE stops and detentions has greatly disrupted life for many immigrant New Yorkers, particularly Latino communities that have been targeted for enforcement."

"The governor's proposals include eliminating 287(g) agreements, which allow state and local police to work with ICE. These types of partnerships exploded across New York last year, and was, by far, the most widely celebrated point among advocates and state lawmakers. While New York City and a few other counties have enacted sanctuary policies that restrict local government cooperation with immigration enforcement, most jurisdictions across the state don't."

""People are hiding," Hochul acknowledged during a press conference Thursday. "These are hard working people that are contributing, adding to our economy." "We'll help you go after the hardened criminals, the violent, the worst of the worst," Hochul said of the new restrictions. "I'm in the front of that effort. We all are. We have been. This does not restrict"

Advocates and progressive state lawmakers are pushing for the New York for All Act, which would bar local law enforcement from performing civil immigration enforcement. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a handshake deal on the 2027 budget expected to include policy changes aimed at protecting immigrant communities from a mass deportation campaign. Federal immigration enforcement has increased arrests of immigrants without criminal records and conducted visible raids on homes, workplaces, and commercial streets. The resulting ICE stops and detentions have disrupted daily life for many immigrant New Yorkers, especially Latino communities. Hochul proposed eliminating 287(g) agreements that allow state and local police to work with ICE. While some jurisdictions have sanctuary policies, most across the state still cooperate, with 14 formal agreements as of May.

Read at City Limits