Hochul moves to ban ICE from deputizing New York police, calls it a move to stop Trump ‘tyranny’

Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced legislation on Friday seeking to ban local law enforcement from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), condemning the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown and saying the state must “act in this moment of tyranny.”

The “Local Cops, Local Crimes Act” would prohibit cooperative 287(G) agreements between local police departments and the federal government that allow ICE to deputize local officers to act as federal agents and assist in immigration enforcement. There are at least 10 287(G) agreements in New York State — up from just one at the start of 2025.

The governor pulled no punches against President Donald Trump and his administration regarding their approach to immigration, condemning ICE killings this month of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

“This is not just about immigration policy; this is about a blatant, dangerous abuse of power,” said Hochul, who announced the legislation on Jan. 30 in Manhattan alongside Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Albany Police Department Chief Brendan Cox and other law enforcement officials.

The governor said ICE’s actions of “unspeakable acts of violence” have disillusioned and horrified many New Yorkers.

“In every corner of our state, New Yorkers are feeling traumatized and stunned as they watch federal agents carry out unspeakable acts of violence in a country they no longer recognize,” Hochul said. “For weeks, our eyes have been turned to the horrors unfolding in the streets of Minneapolis.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that ICE’s actions of “unspeakable acts of violence” have disillusioned and horrified many New Yorkers.Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

Tisch, supporting the legislation, said New York City is proof that a ban on 287(G) agreements will be a positive step for public safety. The NYPD does not engage in civil immigration enforcement and does not ask individuals their immigration status.

“When federal immigration operations come into a city and generate fear, anger, unrest, local police do not get to walk away from the consequences,” Tisch said. “That makes the job harder, and our communities less safe.”

Tisch affirmed the continued importance of working with federal partners, such as the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, on “serious criminal matters.”

Bill ‘protects trust between police and communities’: Hochul

The NYPD does not engage in civil immigration enforcement and does not ask individuals their immigration status, as Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch reaffirmed on Friday.Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

Elected officials across the city and state have condemned ICE’s onslaught in Minneapolis , where roughly 3,000 ICE officers have been mobilized — outnumbering the city’s 600-person police department five-to-one. Officers have detained several U.S. citizens and have, in many cases, reportedly failed to follow nearly 100 court orders in January alone .

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey asked elected officials across the country on Thursday to “speak up” against the immigration crackdown, warning that “your city is next.”

Under the proposed legislation, local jails and resources across New York State would be restricted from immigration enforcement and local officers would be barred from being deputized to enforce immigration law.

The legislation seeks to “keep local police focused on fighting local crime,” “prevents ICE from diverting local law enforcement resources,” and “protects trust between police and communities,” according to Hochul.

Hochul said she plans to “work closely with my partners in the legislature to get this passed as quickly as possible.”

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that our law enforcement has enough on their hands and our DAs have enough to do without turning into deputized ICE agents here in New York,” because this has gotten out of hand, she said.

New York City has seen increased immigration enforcement since the start of Trump’s second term in January 2025, with officers detaining immigrants arriving for routine hearings — separating families and arresting court observers and elected officials in the dragnet.

The legislation would continue to allow local police to work with ICE and other federal law enforcement in detaining “dangerous criminals” and would continue to allow local police to aid in crowd control at protests and during federal operations, Hochul said.

“We will always cooperate with the federal government to bring violent criminals to justice, full stop, that’s not a change in policy,” Hochul said. “However, it does not mean that New York State will stand for flagrant abuse of power under the guise of public safety.”

During Hochul’s Jan. 13 State of the State address , she announced a piece of legislation that would prohibit ICE raids at “sensitive” locations including schools, places of worship, and hospitals.

At Friday’s announcement, she said she is adding homes to the list, noting that ICE recently authorized its officers to enter homes without a warrant , a move with questionable constitutionality under the Fourth Amendment.

“Since the federal government is more than willing to ignore the constitution to suit their own purposes, I’m gonna codify that into state law,” Hochul said.

‘A republic, if you can keep it’

Hochul, who has taken an increasingly strong stance against the federal government throughout the first year of Trump’s second term, warned that she sees the United States becoming “unrecognizable.” She invoked Benjamin Franklin’s famous adage that the founding fathers created “a republic, if you can keep it.”

“I never thought in my lifetime that republic would be so fragile, our democracy being ripped apart at the seams,” Hochul said. “To the patriots of 250 years ago and the patriots of today, some in this room, I’m here to say, we intend to keep our republic and our democracy strong.”

The Legal Aid Society cheered the announcement in a statement, calling the proposed legislation a “welcome step toward protecting immigrant New Yorkers from harmful federal overreach.”

“While New York City’s existing sanctuary and detainer laws already prohibit such collaboration, this measure is a significant step for the rest of the state, affirming that New York celebrates and protects immigrant communities,” the statement reads.

Legal Aid called on the state to enact the New York For All Act, which seeks to prohibit the disclosure of immigration status to the federal government and prohibit local and state officials from questioning individuals about their citizenship or immigration status.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, opposed Hochul’s announcement in a statement.

McLaughlin claimed that “our partnerships with state and local law enforcement are key to removing” undocumented individuals whom she described as “criminal illegal aliens … from American communities.” McLaughlin further claimed that New York has not honored ICE detainers for 6,947 individuals currently in New York jails, who are there for various state crimes.