Saratoga County Sheriff Jeff Brown says he’s “signing on” to a planned lawsuit against The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act.
The law, which was signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in May, prohibits local law enforcement agencies from signing 287(g) agreements that allow them to work with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement to detain people for federal immigration violations.
“We don't believe she has the authority to dictate what agreements the sheriff can get into, what agreements they cannot get into,” Brown told WAMC. “I don't believe that she has the authority to do that, and I don't think it's proper way to run public safety. I think that that these decisions to be made at the local level, with involvement from the citizens that live in that community.”
Police departments and sheriff's offices have until Aug. 25 to withdraw from existing 287(g) agreements under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act.
Hochul has said the law protects immigrant communities and refocuses police resources on local crime.
Saratoga County does not have a 287(g) agreement with ICE, but 12 law enforcement agencies – including the Rensselaer and Otsego county sheriff's offices – do.
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin has previously said he will ignore an order from New York Attorney General Letitia James to terminate his county’s agreement with ICE.
The Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office’s 287(g) agreement allows deputies to identify immigrants in the Rensselaer County Jail and initiate immigration proceedings against them on behalf of ICE. Other 287(g) agreements allow officers to make immigration-related arrests and/or serve and execute immigration warrants on those in their custody.
