Community Activist Says Immigrant Protection Act Better Than Astorino's EO

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Neighbors Link, which works around the county to create stronger communities through the positive integration of immigrants, has released the following statement in response to County Executive Robert Astorino's Executive Order regarding the relationship between County Police, ICE and the immigrant community.

The Executive Order issued Wednesday states county law enforcement will “continue to cooperate with federal authorities in investigating and apprehending aliens involved in criminal activity.” Law enforcement will still be prohibited, as has been the policy since 2006, from inquiring about “a person’s immigration status unless such officer is required by law to do so or is investigating illegal activity other than mere status as an undocumented alien.”

Astorino called the Executive Order a balanced compromise designed to foster trust within the immigrant community, while not providing sanctuary to criminals. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Karin Anderson Pozner, lead attorney with the Neighbors Link Community Law Practice, said Astorino's proposed Executive Order does not provide a solution to existing challenges facing immigrants and their interaction with local law enforcement and ICE.

“Although he is correct that Washington has failed Westchester by not coming up with sensible immigration reform, his Executive Order is not the solution,” she said.

“This Order is is a restatement of existing county policy without the security that it will provide true and meaningful protection of immigrants when dealing with police officers and/or ICE agents. It does nothing to end the practice of data sharing between county department of corrections and federal civil immigration authorities, even when there is no ongoing criminal investigation involving federal officials and even when the subject is innocent of any wrongdoing,” Pozner said.

“Rather than engender the trust and confidence of our residents, his Executive Order will have a profound chilling effect on law enforcement’s ability to do their real job: protecting all Westchester County residents from criminals,” she said.

Pozner said the better solution is the Immigrant Protection Act, which was passed by the county Board of Legislators, but was vetoed by Astorino.

“The IPA protects the county and all its residents by striking a careful balance between county compliance with federal law and creating guidelines for such compliance. The IPA is our opportunity for Westchester to protect its residents, its county resources and its reputation. Let's keep Westchester a great place to live and work for everyone who settles here and particularly for those who have come to call this place, ‘home’,” she said.

Legislators will hold a vote to override the veto of the Immigrant Protection Act at their meeting Monday, Sept. 25.

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