The Rensselaer County executive says he will ignore an order from New York Attorney General Letitia James to terminate his county’s agreement with ICE.
Rensselaer County has had a 287g agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement since 2018. That agreement allows sheriff’s deputies to identify immigrants booked into the Rensselaer County Jail and initiate immigration proceedings against them on behalf of ICE.
In a Facebook video, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, a Republican, said the agreement allows the county to keep residents safe.
“We do that to make sure they're not Trendaragua or MS-13 or any other vicious, violent gang intent on doing your family harm," McLaughlin said. "That's why we aren't going to stop. This is a line in the sand for us. We will not yield.”
McLaughlin’s announcement comes days after James and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul sent letters to Rensselaer County and 11 other law enforcement agencies ordering them to comply with a new state law that bans 287g agreements. State Democrats have argued that 287g agreements divert resources away from local crimes and to civil immigration enforcement.
Law enforcement agencies have until August 25th to cancel their 287g agreements under the new state law.
