Nassau Executive Defies State Plan to End ICE Cooperation

Blakeman vows to fight proposal to ban local police from acting as federal immigration agents

Feb. 3, 2026 at 3:15pm

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Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has vowed to fight a proposal by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to ban local police from acting as federal immigration agents. Blakeman says ending the 287(g) cooperation agreements would endanger New Yorkers and protect criminals, while Hochul argues the agreements destroy public trust and discourage crime victims from calling the police.

Why it matters

This dispute highlights the ongoing debate over the role of local law enforcement in federal immigration enforcement, with Blakeman arguing for continued cooperation to address public safety concerns and Hochul seeking to limit such arrangements to build trust between immigrant communities and the police.

The details

Hochul has introduced the 'Local Cops, Local Crimes Act' which would ban local law enforcement and jails from signing contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allowing local officers to do the job of ICE agents. Blakeman, who is running for governor as a Republican, says he has the most complete agreement with ICE in the country and recently helped remove 46 migrants with criminal records from Nassau County. He has proposed a 'guest worker program' for undocumented immigrants who have been gainfully employed in the country for at least seven years without committing crimes.

  • On January 30, Governor Kathy Hochul introduced the 'Local Cops, Local Crimes Act'.
  • On Monday, February 3, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman vowed to fight the proposal during a press conference.

The players

Bruce Blakeman

The Nassau County Executive who has vowed to fight the proposal to ban local police from acting as federal immigration agents.

Kathy Hochul

The Governor of New York who has introduced the 'Local Cops, Local Crimes Act' to ban local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE.

Deysi H.

A Nassau County resident from the advocacy group Make the Road New York who disagrees with the county's ICE partnership, saying it makes her feel unsafe.

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What they’re saying

“Simply walking to the park, taking my children to school, or going to the doctor feels dangerous, because I fear that any police interaction will separate me from my children.”

— Deysi H. (Make the Road New York)

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The state legislature must vote on Hochul's proposed ban on 287(g) agreements to make it law. The proposal would expire in July 2029.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the ongoing tension between local law enforcement's role in federal immigration enforcement and the need to build trust between immigrant communities and the police. The outcome could have significant implications for public safety and the rights of undocumented immigrants in New York.