The lack of collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE in Minneapolis has resulted in disorder and violence. So, what actions is Governor Kathy Hochul taking about it?
Well, it seems she prefers little cooperation in New York. Is that really her intent? Am I getting the impression that she wishes to import the chaos from Minneapolis here?
Last week, Hochul officially aligned herself with the anti-ICE movement, unveiling several proposals that include ending partnerships between local police and federal agencies.
This move appears to be aimed at gaining favor with New York’s left-wing base while also targeting her political rival, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who supports such collaborations, despite her claims of being nonpartisan.
The agreements are sanctioned under a federal program called 287(g), established by President Bill Clinton’s 1996 immigration reform law and widely utilized during the Obama administration. This program allows local police to initiate immigration enforcement actions against noncitizens within prisons and jails.
There’s also a “task force” agreement that enables police to alert immigration authorities during routine checks, like for driving under the influence, with ICE monitoring the process.
Essentially, this approach would let local police help ICE to remove dangerous individuals from communities. It’s a reasonable role for law enforcement that can help avoid significant and uncontrolled arrests of undocumented immigrants on the streets, which might incite backlash from anti-ICE activists.
In Nassau and the other four counties that have enacted such agreements, the system appears to function well. No evidence of the chaos seen in Minnesota.
If the administration truly cares about mitigating domestic unrest in the future, perhaps it should reconsider limiting the task force agreements.
Instead, Hochul has chosen to almost deliberately challenge ICE by not allowing the influx of agents needed to track and apprehend criminals. Without local police support—which makes conflict akin to what’s seen in Minneapolis more likely.
To effectively reduce tensions, local officials should be encouraged to comply with immigration detainers, handing over undocumented individuals who break the law to ICE.
Tom Homan, the border czar dispatched to address the unrest in Minneapolis last week, stated that ICE does not want or need police acting on immigration laws.
It’s sufficient to transfer a criminal safely to a facility.
And if there’s any doubt about Hochul’s political intentions, her own comments are revealing. She has compared President Trump’s immigration policies to the tyranny of King George and has tried to prevent ICE from entering homes without a warrant, even though this was already established.
At one point, she expressed outrage that people are “rounded up just because of the color of their skin.”
Not to mention, her supposed “apolitical” readings, ending in 2029.
This is transparently an assault on Blakeman, a maneuver to safeguard her left flank against primary competition from Lieutenant Governor Anthony Delgado and his radical Working Families Party supporters.
If Hochul genuinely wishes to maintain peace in New York, she ought to promote direct deportations of illegal immigrants to ICE in respect to immigration detainers.
But if her political maneuvers result in violence, she could bear a significant portion of the responsibility.
