Residents gathered outside the Garden City Hotel, where the New York State Republican convention was held, to protest party leaders’ support for ICE and other federal immigration agencies across the country.
“ICE Out!” protesters chanted as Republican lawmakers and party leaders drove up to the convention’s opening rally on Feb. 9, led by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican gubernatorial candidate.
The convention brought together Republican lawmakers and party officials from across the state to select candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller and assembly minority leader. At the end of the event, Blakeman formally accepted the gubernatorial nomination along with Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, his running mate.
Blakeman and county police have supported collaboration between local police and the federal government on immigration matters. Protesters were demanding an end to 287(g) agreements, which allow such collaboration.
«Our NCPD is phenomenal; “They are well trained,” state Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) said in an interview. “If you look at the bill that the governor is trying to introduce, I don’t think it will benefit public safety in Nassau County.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced legislation in January that would eliminate 287(g) statewide.
“Typically, there is a complete separation between the federal government and local law enforcement. “ICE receives billions of dollars, why do Nassau County police enforce immigration law?” asked Patrick Young, professor of immigration law at Hofstra University.
He said collaborating with federal immigration agents will deter residents from cooperating with law enforcement, even if they are witnesses or victims of a crime.
“People think that what’s happening in Minneapolis is happening about 1,500 miles away. It’s already starting to happen here,” Young said. “We don’t have 600 or 2,000 ICE agents in Nassau County, but they could do it very quickly. Especially if the county executive invites them in.”
“We are calling our elected officials and telling them that these 287(g) agreements are unconstitutional and put our communities at greater risk,” said Kiana Bierria-Anderson, an activist running against U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen in the Democratic primary for New York’s 4th Congressional District. “They are not protecting us.”
“The county has a comprehensive agreement with ICE,” Ra said. I believe that working together with local law enforcement is the best way to ensure the public safety of those carrying out operations in our communities.
