A town board in the Hudson Valley is set to vote Thursday night on a proposed immigration law following a public hearing.
Deputy Town Supervisor Dan Torres says the proposed law for New Paltz is to ensure that federal immigration policy does not become a function of the town police force. He says New Paltz potentially would be the first town to put such a law on the books, going beyond a resolution.
“This is a local law. There is an enforcement element to it,” says Torres. “And we think if the purpose of having a law like this is reaching a community and allowing them to know that they’re safe, we don’t believe that a policy or a resolution is enough to make someone feel safe, nor do we think that it would be able to reach those communities.”
Torres says the law mandates that town police not question individuals based on their immigration status.
