As Hochul Ban On Local PD-ICE Agreements Takes Effect, Nassau County Remains Mum On Compliance

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the “Local Cops, Local Crimes” act had taken effect in New York, banning cooperation between local police departments and Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) on civil immigration matters. In Nassau County, there is still no word on whether local authorities will comply with that bill.

Nassau County has had an agreement with ICE since 2025, when 10 detectives were cross-trained and cross-designated with the agency. Since then, the agreement has been challenged multiple times in court but has not been formally dissolved.

In recent months, an effort by the federal government to halt Hochul’s ban was also stymied in court, although a judge ruled that federal agents could wear masks while carrying out their duties in the state.

Complicating matters in Nassau is the fact that the county executive who signed the agreement with ICE, Bruce Blakeman, is challenging Hochul for the governor’s seat in November and trailed by 10 points in the most recent polls. A representative for Blakeman declined to comment on the 287(g) ban Tuesday, and declined to comment on whether Nassau County would comply with that ban.

“Here in New York, we need local police focused on keeping our communities safe — not serving as de-facto ICE agents, not conducting civil immigration enforcement, and not carrying out the Trump Administration’s callous immigration agenda,” Hochul said. “That’s why I championed our new law banning 287(g) agreements and ensuring local cops remain focused on real crime in our communities. Starting today, ICE can no longer commandeer locally-funded police to aid an out-of-control federal agency with an $85 billion budget.”

In a statement Tuesday, Hochul said Attorney General Letitia James had sent letters to the 12 municipalities whose police departments had made agreements with ICE. Among them is Nassau County.

“Attorney General James will ensure that municipalities comply with New York law and that state and local institutions remain focused on protecting and serving New Yorkers,” Hochul’s office said.

Elsewhere in New York State, local authorities are hoping to have the ban on local PD-ICE agreements struck down in court: Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin and Sheriff Kyle Bourgault said in a statement Monday that their county would be party to a lawsuit in the northern district of New York seeking to stop the ban.

“We believe Rensselaer County will be one of a number of plaintiffs in the suit,” the county officials said Monday.

For her part, James said she believed counties would fall in line.

“We expect all law enforcement agencies in New York to uphold New York’s laws. Through the Office of Immigrant Trust, my office will continue to work with law enforcement professionals across the state to ensure they understand their obligations, and we are prepared to enforce the law if those responsibilities are not upheld,” James said. “True public safety requires public trust, and we are committed to ensuring all New Yorkers are kept safe.”