New York Governor Cathy Hochul on Friday unveiled a major legislative initiative aimed at ending cooperation between local law enforcement and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Kathy Hochul speaks during a public safety announcement on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in New York, U.S. Hochul is introducing new legislation that would limit cooperation between local law enforcement and US immigration officials Photographer: Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg (Bloomberg)The proposal, called the Local Police, Local Crimes Act, would prohibit ICE from employing local law enforcement to carry out statewide federal citizen immigration enforcement.
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What would the proposed law change?287(g) agreementA major goal of Governor Hochul’s initiative will be to eliminate 287(g) contracts. These agreements have already been established between ICE and 14 law enforcement agencies in nine New York counties and allow local law enforcement to enforce civil immigration laws on behalf of ICE.
The proposed legislation, if passed, would repeal all of them, making New York the eighth state, in addition to states like California, to ban these contracts.
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Block immigration proceedings without judicial oversightHochul’s office said the bill would allow ICE to use local detention facilities for civil immigration operations, block mass federal operations without judicial oversight and limit federal use of local police technology.
The proposed law, however, does not prohibit cooperation in criminal investigations. Local and state police may still work with ICE and other federal agencies on matters involving violent criminals. “Local and state police can still work with ICE and other federal agencies on matters involving violent criminals,” Hochul said.
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sensitive positionThe law guarantees that residences and other sensitive areas can be protected from civil immigration enforcement without a court order.
Recent changes in federal rules have returned limited warrantless civil immigration enforcement to sensitive places such as schools, hospitals and places of worship. The goal of this proposal is to restore federal policy and provide a safer community for children and families.
The right to sue federal officers for constitutional violationsThe purpose allows individuals to file state-level civil suits against federal officers who violate the constitutional rights of New Yorkers, in accordance with the same legal requirements currently in place for state and local officers under the federal Civil Rights Act.
The plan strengthens constitutional protections and gives New Yorkers a significant legal remedy when federal power is unconstitutionally abused in the state by aligning state law with the current federal civil rights framework.
