New York Sues Rensselaer County Over ICE Cooperation Ban
Attorney General Letitia James sued Rensselaer County after it refused to terminate its immigration enforcement agreement with ICE, defying a new state law.
The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act took effect in New York on August 25, 2026, prohibiting local law enforcement from entering into 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James championed the law to ensure local police focus on violent crime rather than serving as de facto federal immigration agents.
While most jurisdictions complied, Rensselaer and Nassau counties initially resisted. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman eventually terminated his county's ICE partnership on August 27 following subpoenas from the state, though he directed his acting sheriff to join a federal lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality. This lawsuit, led by Rensselaer County Sheriff Kyle Bourgault and 14 other sheriffs, argues the ban is a constitutional overreach that impedes public safety.
Rensselaer County remained the sole jurisdiction to openly defy the law. In response, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit in state Supreme Court on August 28 to vacate the county's 2018 agreement with ICE. Sheriff Bourgault maintains that his office only uses the agreement for individuals already in criminal custody, while state officials insist all agencies must uphold the law to maintain public trust.
