Hochul's Anti-ICE Law Takes Effect Amid Sheriff Lawsuit
New York's ban on local law enforcement cooperation with ICE took effect Tuesday. Gov. Kathy Hochul warned agencies that defy the law will face legal action.
- 11 of 13 county sheriffs with 287(g) agreements have ended them, per Hochul's office.
- 12 local agencies were notified in July to terminate ICE agreements by Aug. 25.
- Nassau County and Rensselaer County have openly refused to end their agreements.
- 22 New York sheriffs filed suit against Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The 287(g) program allows ICE to delegate immigration enforcement powers to local officers. Ending those agreements limits how federal agents can use local resources and personnel for civil immigration enforcement.
- DHS said over 6,900 people with criminal records or charges were released rather than handed to federal agents between January and December 2025, citing lack of local cooperation.
- A federal judge already blocked a related New York law banning ICE agents from wearing masks; the ban on 287(g) agreements was not blocked.
How 14 sources split on this story
Where they split: Whether banning 287(g) agreements improves public safety by keeping local police focused on local crime, or undermines it by cutting off a tool to remove people with criminal records.
Center coverage, 4 sources: The center frames the story as part of a national pattern of Democrat-led governments limiting ICE cooperation, set against the Trump administration's escalating enforcement campaign and a Politico poll showing half of Americans think deportations have gone too far.
Right coverage, 9 sources: The right frames the law as a Democratic governor overriding local law enforcement in counties that voted heavily for Trump, tying it to public-safety risks and featuring sheriffs who call compliance coerced rather than voluntary.
What’s next: The state attorney general has subpoenaed Nassau County's police department and sheriff's office for non-compliance.
- A DOJ lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality and New York's counter-lawsuit are both pending.
- Will courts uphold the 287(g) ban, or will pending federal and county lawsuits suspend enforcement?
- How will ICE conduct civil immigration operations in New York without local officer participation?
- What consequences, if any, will Nassau and Rensselaer counties face for continued defiance?
