Nassau County’s Executive Criticizes Hochul’s Immigration Proposal

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has criticized state and local Democratic lawmakers over Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent proposal to end the county’s cooperative agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Hochul announced the bill on Friday, which was welcomed by local Democratic representatives, but Blakeman, a Republican, raised concerns about its potential consequences.

“Ending the partnership won’t eliminate ICE; instead, it may lead to more federal agents on the streets, operating without local cooperation or oversight, and could result in the release of dangerous criminals,” he told the Post.

Blakeman, who is campaigning to challenge Hochul in the gubernatorial election, emphasized, “Collaborating with ICE allows Nassau County to effectively target and remove violent criminals through responsible law enforcement.”

Last year, he was among the first leaders in New York City to sign a controversial “287(g) agreement,” noted for its broad reach and complexity.

Hochul’s proposed legislation, the Local Police, Local Crime Act, aims to ban all such agreements statewide, preventing local police from assisting federal authorities in apprehending immigrants and limiting ICE’s use of county jails.

In response, Hochul’s office dismissed Blakeman’s claims as unfounded, suggesting that Long Island leaders were engaging in fear-mongering.

“There’s no evidence that scrapping the 287(g) agreement will lead to increased ICE activity,” said Hochul spokesman Gordon Tepper.

“Over 50 counties in New York don’t use these agreements, and public safety hasn’t been compromised in those areas.”

Tepper added that the governor is committed to ensuring local police officers are not turned into ICE agents, insisting that true public safety involves combating crime rather than intimidating communities.

Currently, five counties, including Nassau, have such agreements, which may be at risk of cancellation under the proposed legislation.

Last Friday, Hochul labeled ICE a “fraudulent” and “tyrannical” agency, urging immediate action following the violent deaths of Alex Preti and Renee Good in Minneapolis. She believes the bill would enable local police to concentrate on their communities while still cooperating with federal authorities when necessary.

“New Yorkers are deeply disturbed and frightened by the violence perpetrated by federal agents in a country no longer familiar to them. We must respond to this moment of injustice,” she stated.

The proposed legislation would also require ICE to obtain a warrant before conducting raids in sensitive locations like schools, churches, workplaces, and homes.

Nassau County’s agreement with ICE has come under scrutiny since its signing in 2025, with the New York Civil Liberties Union filing a lawsuit related to the contract. Additionally, the county faces allegations regarding the treatment of ICE detainees, including reports of inadequate food and contaminated water, and concerns surrounding the death of Santos Vanegas Reyes, a migrant who died while in Nassau custody last September.