NASSAU COUNTY – Today, on behalf of the Diocese of Long Island, Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN), HAFALI, community advocates, and two Long Island residents, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), Latino Justice PRLDEF, and the Hofstra Law Clinic filed a lawsuit challenging Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s unlawful 287(g) agreement with ICE, which gives Nassau County Police Department officers the authority to stop, question, and arrest any resident they believe is in the United States illegally. This is the first lawsuit against a 287(g) agreement in New York State.
287(g) programs embed ICE within local communities and serve as a key component of Trump's mass deportation strategy. The suit argues that Nassau’s agreement violates New York state law prohibiting local law enforcement from conducting civil immigration arrests for ICE, undermines people’s rights against unreasonable search and seizure, and will lead to rampant racial profilings. Nassau County’s 287(g) agreement revives a dangerous 287(g) task force model, which was phased out over a decade ago after a string of documented civil rights abuses.
“As a proud Puerto Rican, father, and lifelong civil rights advocate, I’ve dedicated my life’s work to helping diverse communities and immigrants in New York State and on Long Island to get the help they need and deserve — and now, while I do that work, I live in constant fear that Nassau County police will target me, question me, or even arrest me,” said Marc A. Soto, Executive Director of the Liga de Justicia Foundation. “I know I’m not alone. So many extraordinary people in our community are afraid to go to work, take their kids to school, or seek help because local police are acting like federal immigration agents. This constant fear of unlawful policing has made it nearly impossible to do my job and serve the very communities I have always committed to support.”
“Despite what Bruce Blakeman may think, Nassau County cannot ignore settled state law,” said Rubin Danberg-Biggs, Skadden fellow at the New York Civil Liberties Union and lead counsel on this case. “Local police do not have the authority to act as ICE agents — and they don’t need to. Nassau County is overwhelmingly safe: County Executive Blakeman himself has called it the safest county in the nation. This unlawful agreement isn’t about safety, reason, or the rule of law — it’s about fear mongering and needlessly hurting immigrant communities.”
“The 287(g) agreement undermines our ability to serve our communities, especially immigrant families who now live in fear of being detained or disappeared,” said the Right Reverend Lawrence C. Provenzano, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. “As Christians, we are called to love our neighbors, seek justice, and uphold the dignity of every human being — this agreement makes that sacred work nearly impossible. The cruelty we are witnessing is both immoral and illegal, and it separates us from the love of God and from one another.”
287(g) agreements heighten fear amongst immigrant communities and make everyday activities – like grocery shopping, reporting crimes, seeking medical care, or taking children to school – risky and unsafe due to the constant threat of deportation. These agreements also undermine well-being: studies show that counties limiting cooperation with ICE tend to have lower crime rates, higher median household incomes, and lower levels of unemployment and poverty. Keeping federal immigration authorities out of local affairs doesn’t just protect immigrants – it strengthens communities for everyone.
“For over three decades, HAFALI has been a trusted source of family support services, providing guidance, counseling, and helping our members navigate the challenges of life in a new land,” said Executive Director of HAFALI, Maryse Emmanuel Garcy. “But today, our community is gripped by fear. People are afraid to go to work, attend school, worship, or even seek help. The 287(g) agreement has created a climate of terror and isolation, tearing families apart and forcing many into silence. This policy does not protect us; it targets us. It criminalizes our presence and undermines our ability to adapt and thrive.”
“Nassau County’s Joe Arpaio-style agreement purports to authorize the police to detain anyone they ‘believe’ to be an ‘alien.’ That will lead to blatant racial profiling, as it did when these agreements were tried the last time,” said Andrew Case, Supervising Counsel at LatinoJustice PRLDEF. “You cannot determine someone’s immigration status by the way they look. You can't tell by their haircut, their clothing, or their race. And this is especially alarming given the county’s documented history of racial discrimination against Latinos and those perceived to be immigrants in a community where one in five residents is an immigrant and/or Latino.”
“The Hofstra Law Clinic and CARECEN represent many survivors of domestic violence and trafficking, who are required to cooperate with law enforcement to obtain immigration status,” said Professor Alexander Holtzman, counsel on this case and Director of the Deportation Defense Clinic at Hofstra law school. “But now, because of Nassau County’s deal to deputize local police as ICE agents, they are scared to contact police for fear of being deported. New York taxpayers, and anyone concerned about racial profiling and the rule of law, should oppose Nassau County’s illegal deal that allows ICE to commandeer local police for federal immigration enforcement.”
“Nassau County is home to over 300,000 immigrants—22% of our population—who are vital to our community’s prosperity,” said Melanie Creps, Executive Director of CARECEN. “The 287(g) agreement between ICE and the Nassau County Police Department has created fear, eroded trust, and made immigrants, and all of our communities, less safe. It undermines public safety by deterring immigrants from seeking help or reporting crimes. CARECEN is joining this lawsuit to protect our community, restore trust, and stand up for the rights and dignity of immigrants.”
Since Trump took office, ICE has inked five 287(g) agreements in New York: two with Nassau County, one with Broome County, and two in Niagara County. Before then, New York had just one such agreement in Rensselaer County.
Photo: An ICE officer coordinates with other officials during an enforcement operation in San Antonio Feb. 5. Source: USICEGOV/Flicker
In the News
- The New York Times: "ICE Is Working With Long Island Police. A Lawsuit Calls That Illegal."
- The Associated Press: "Lawsuit challenges a Long Island county’s partnership in New York with ICE"
- Newsday: "Lawsuit challenges a Long Island county's partnership in New York with ICE" (Newsday Subscription Required)
News 12: "NYCLU lawsuit accuses Nassau County of violating state law through work with ICE"