ALBANY, NY - Governor Kathy Hochul is now saying that she supports banning nearly all cooperation between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Hochul, who has already proposed a handful of anti-ICE measures at the start of this year, has now unveiled several new restrictions that she wants to put into state law as part of the ongoing budget negotiations with the Democrat-controlled Legislature, the New York Post reported.
"I just want to have more protections in place that I think are long overdue. So I’m anxious to get this done,” she told reporters at a quickly assembled press event in Albany on Thursday afternoon.
Among the newly announced measures was a ban on police cooperating with federal immigration enforcement agents, unless it involves a criminal conviction or probable cause. "Local cops should be focused on local crimes, keeping our streets safe … not doing ICE’s job,” she said.
Hochul also reportedly wants to ban ICE agents from wearing masks, though it is unclear how the state would be able to enforce such a mandate. The proposed legislation would make it a misdemeanor for an ICE agent to wear a mask.
Hochul also wants to expand the list of public areas where ICE is prohibited from operating without a judicial warrant, to include virtually any public land, like parks, shelters, and "housing accommodations." She said that ICE agents, for example, would not be allowed to operate alongside a local police DWI checkpoint.
"We’re talking about basically separating out civil infractions, vehicle and traffic law, for example, and other areas that they’ve been using as ruses,” she said.
"There are sometimes ICE officers at a DWI stop, or at a traffic stop. Like, why are they there? Explain to me why they’re there,” she questioned. The new policy would also create an overarching ban on any public employee using state resources, including their working hours, to aid federal immigration authorities.
All this means that New York would essentially have a blanket sanctuary state law on the books. During her tenure, Hochul has continued to extend an executive order signed in 2018 by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo barring state employees and law enforcement from helping immigration authorities.
Hochul is now expanding her initial anti-ICE proposal unveiled in January, following talks with the legislature, coinciding with her $263 billion spending and policy plan, which was due April 1.
At the beginning of the year, Hochul stated an intention to give New Yorkers the ability to sue federal agents in state courts for legal violations.
She also said she wanted to ban local governments from signing formal agreements with ICE to deputize their officers. Legislative leaders like Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) have been demanding a deal based on the most sweeping sanctuary proposal bouncing around Albany, the so-called New York 4 All Act.
"The governor’s absolutely moved on certain things,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) told reporters later. "One of the toughest places for us to land is on the unmonitored, unregulated ability for local law enforcement to reach out to ICE, even in spite of the fact that it could be a case that a [district attorney] wants to look at,” Heastie said.
He acknowledged that the legislature wants even tougher restrictions on when law enforcement can contact ICE, with some far-left individuals claiming the "probable cause" requirement pitched by Hochul could lead to racial profiling.
"Allowing cops to decide if they will collude with ICE on this basis is giving them carte blanche to racially profile NYers,” Assemblymember Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn) wrote on X. Hochul said the talks were "still evolving" and could even drop from the budget deal altogether.
Hochul, who has already proposed a handful of anti-ICE measures at the start of this year, has now unveiled several new restrictions that she wants to put into state law as part of the ongoing budget negotiations with the Democrat-controlled Legislature, the New York Post reported.
"I just want to have more protections in place that I think are long overdue. So I’m anxious to get this done,” she told reporters at a quickly assembled press event in Albany on Thursday afternoon.
Among the newly announced measures was a ban on police cooperating with federal immigration enforcement agents, unless it involves a criminal conviction or probable cause. "Local cops should be focused on local crimes, keeping our streets safe … not doing ICE’s job,” she said.
Hochul also reportedly wants to ban ICE agents from wearing masks, though it is unclear how the state would be able to enforce such a mandate. The proposed legislation would make it a misdemeanor for an ICE agent to wear a mask.
Hochul also wants to expand the list of public areas where ICE is prohibited from operating without a judicial warrant, to include virtually any public land, like parks, shelters, and "housing accommodations." She said that ICE agents, for example, would not be allowed to operate alongside a local police DWI checkpoint.
"We’re talking about basically separating out civil infractions, vehicle and traffic law, for example, and other areas that they’ve been using as ruses,” she said.
"There are sometimes ICE officers at a DWI stop, or at a traffic stop. Like, why are they there? Explain to me why they’re there,” she questioned. The new policy would also create an overarching ban on any public employee using state resources, including their working hours, to aid federal immigration authorities.
All this means that New York would essentially have a blanket sanctuary state law on the books. During her tenure, Hochul has continued to extend an executive order signed in 2018 by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo barring state employees and law enforcement from helping immigration authorities.
Hochul is now expanding her initial anti-ICE proposal unveiled in January, following talks with the legislature, coinciding with her $263 billion spending and policy plan, which was due April 1.
At the beginning of the year, Hochul stated an intention to give New Yorkers the ability to sue federal agents in state courts for legal violations.
She also said she wanted to ban local governments from signing formal agreements with ICE to deputize their officers. Legislative leaders like Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) have been demanding a deal based on the most sweeping sanctuary proposal bouncing around Albany, the so-called New York 4 All Act.
"The governor’s absolutely moved on certain things,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) told reporters later. "One of the toughest places for us to land is on the unmonitored, unregulated ability for local law enforcement to reach out to ICE, even in spite of the fact that it could be a case that a [district attorney] wants to look at,” Heastie said.
He acknowledged that the legislature wants even tougher restrictions on when law enforcement can contact ICE, with some far-left individuals claiming the "probable cause" requirement pitched by Hochul could lead to racial profiling.
"Allowing cops to decide if they will collude with ICE on this basis is giving them carte blanche to racially profile NYers,” Assemblymember Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn) wrote on X. Hochul said the talks were "still evolving" and could even drop from the budget deal altogether.
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