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GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES LOCAL COPS, LOCAL CRIMES PROVISION BANNING 287(G) AGREEMENTS TAKES EFFECT TODAY

New Yorkers witnessing  federal enforcement actions anywhere in state  report them to OAG tofederal action portal.

New Yorkers who believe that a state or local agency, employee, contractor, school, or other covered entity has violated state laws related to civil immigration enforcement are encouraged to contact the OAG hotline at 1-800-771-7755.

1-800-771-7755.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the statewide ban on 287(g) agreements in the Local Cops, Local Crime Act, signed into law in May as part of a comprehensive package of immigration protections, has taken effect.

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act ensures that local law enforcement agencies remain focused on keeping New York communities safe, rather than being used for federal civil immigration enforcement, diverting critical resources to do the job of ICE.

“Here in New York, we need local police focused on keeping our communities safe—not serving as de-facto ICE agents, not conducting civil immigration enforcement, and not carrying out the Trump Administration’s callous immigration agenda,” Governor Hochul said.

 “That’s why I championed our new law banning 287(g) agreements and ensuring local cops remain focused on real crime in our communities. Starting today, ICE can no longer commandeer locally-funded police to aid an out-of-control federal agency with an $85 billion budget.”

Attorney General Letitia James said,

 “We expect all law enforcement agencies in New York to uphold New York’s laws. Through the Office of Immigrant Trust, my office will continue to work with law enforcement professionals across the state to ensure they understand their obligations, and we are prepared to enforce the law if those responsibilities are not upheld. True public safety requires public trust, and we are committed to ensuring all New Yorkers are kept safe.”

Prior to 2025, only one of New York’s 62 counties had a 287(g) agreement with ICE. To date, 53 counties in New York have never entered into a 287(g) agreement.

Of those 53 counties, seven are among the 25 safest communities in America, demonstrating that 287(g) agreements are non-essential to improving safety in New York.

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has invested nearly $4 billion in law enforcement and public safety leading to record low reductions in crime. Ensuring that these resources continue to be used to drive down local crime and keep communities safe is essential to the Governor’s core public safety mission.

Section 287(g) agreements allow local officers or employees to engage in or assist with federal civil immigration enforcement or otherwise perform the functions of federal immigration officers, eroding trust between immigrant communities and local institutions, and making residents less likely to report crimes, seek help, or cooperate with law enforcement.

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements or similar arrangements that use local resources to detain people for federal immigration violations.

Last month, Attorney General Letitia James sent letters to the 12 local law enforcement agencies in New York that had 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), informing them that state law requires they unwind the agreements by August 25, 2026.

Through the Office of Immigrant Trust (OIT), Attorney General James will ensure that municipalities comply with New York law and that state and local institutions remain focused on protecting and serving New Yorkers.

Following an unprecedented escalation in aggressive federal immigration enforcement, Governor Hochul has been fighting to protect New Yorkers from federal actions that indiscriminately target immigrant communities.

Earlier this year, Governor Hochul signed one of the most comprehensive laws in the nation to rein in ICE and prevent federal overreach by:

• Prohibiting local governments, state and local police, and state and local corrections from entering into 287(g) Agreements or similar agreements with the federal government that allow for state and local law enforcement personnel and facilities to be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes;
• Prohibiting state, local, and federal officers from wearing face covering while interacting with the public;
• Establishing a state law under which New Yorkers can bring a lawsuit against federal, state and local government officials for a violation of their constitutional rights;
• Safeguarding interactions with public employees;
• Keeping immigration authorities out of sensitive locations; and
• Ensuring immigrant students can access education, codifying the right to a free public education regardless of immigration status.

In June, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in federal district court seeking to block certain provisions of the Governor’s immigration protection laws, including the 287(g) prohibition in the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act. A federal court denied the DOJ’s motion for a preliminary injunction for the 287(g) provision of the law permitting the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act ban on 287(g) agreements to take effect today.

City of Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti said,

 “Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for making sure local law enforcement can stay focused on the communities we serve. Here in Kingston, that means using our officers and resources to prevent crime, respond to emergencies, and build the trust and relationships that are essential to keeping our community safe.”

Tuckahoe Police Chief Larry Rotta said, 

“As a small, densely populated village, Tuckahoe relies on strong relationships between our officers and the community we serve. Community policing is central to our approach, and maintaining the public’s trust is essential to keeping our residents safe. I thank Governor Hochul for championing the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, which ensures that our officers can remain focused on addressing local crime, responding to residents’ needs and protecting everyone who calls Tuckahoe home.”

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said,

“Local law enforcement keeps our communities safe by staying focused on local crimes and the public safety priorities right in front of us—not by taking on the federal government’s civil immigration agenda. The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act helps to ensure that our officers’ time and resources are directed where they’re needed most, and strengthens trust between our residents and the agencies that serve them. I want to thank Governor Hochul and our partners in state government for taking decisive action to support effective, community‑focused policing that is rooted in community safety and free from federal overreach.”

City of Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said, “As a Sanctuary City, Rochester has prohibited the use of City resources to enforce federal civil immigration statutes for nearly four decades. These assurances help us build trust and improve public safety by allowing members of our immigrant community to report crimes and access critical services without fear. I applaud Gov. Kathy Hochul for enacting the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, which will extend these protections across the entire state and improve public safety for all New Yorkers.”