New York Gov. Kathy Hochul faces new legal and political challenges over a law restricting local law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement after her Republican gubernatorial opponent warned it was "written in the blood" of crime victims.
A coalition of 15 sheriffs representing counties from Lake Champlain to the Massachusetts border has filed a lawsuit challenging the state's ban on 287(g) agreements, which allow local officers to perform immigration enforcement duties under federal supervision. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who borders sanctuary New York City, said more New Yorkers will be harmed by Hochul's move.
What the Right Is Saying
Blakeman, speaking at a recent event, said: "I want to be very clear about this law: This law is written in the blood of the victims, past, present and future. This law is completely misguided and will make our communities less safe." He argued that Hochul and the legislature have consistently advanced criminal justice initiatives that benefit criminals over communities.
Blakeman cited specific cases to support his argument. He pointed to the killing of Westchester County resident Sheridan Gorman, which authorities have attributed to an illegal immigrant while she was attending college in sanctuary Chicago. Blakeman also said an illegal immigrant from Honduras was recently charged in Nassau County with second-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a 14-year-old.
Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., who has frequently clashed with Hochul, called her "the worst governor in America" on social media, writing that she "doesn't give a s— about public safety or the rule of law."
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, whose county is among those filing suit, invited Hochul to challenge him directly. "We don't really care what this legislature did, we are not going to let them endanger our citizens," he told a local ABC affiliate in June. "I dare you to confront me on this, governor. We're not stopping."
What the Left Is Saying
Hochul argued in a memo outlining the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act that "current federal immigration efforts have made communities less safe" and that using local officers for civil immigration enforcement draws resources away from local public safety functions. A Hochul spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Blakeman's "understanding of New York's bail and immigration laws is incorrect," and said the governor's top priority remains public safety.
The spokesperson added: "The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act does not tie the hands of our police or stop them from apprehending dangerous criminals, and local law enforcement can and will continue to work with federal authorities on criminal investigations and violent crime just as they always have."
Hochul has signaled she would enlist Attorney General Letitia James to take action against counties that do not comply with the law. She recently quipped that police should not be converging on churches and schools to help "Stephen Miller reach his quotas," referring to the White House aide credited with shaping President Donald Trump's immigration policy.
What the Numbers Show
Nassau County under Blakeman's leadership has reported significant enforcement actions: authorities seized dozens of illegal handguns and several kilograms of drugs, as well as one of what officials called "the largest gang takedowns" in the U.S., netting 42 gang members in 2025. Blakeman argued that ICE involvement allowed authorities to keep some suspects in custody who otherwise might have been released under New York's cashless bail laws.
The lawsuit involves 15 sheriffs from counties across upstate New York, representing a broad geographic coalition challenging the Hochul administration.
The Bottom Line
Hochul announced a countersuit against Rensselaer County's sheriff for noncompliance with the new law. Blakeman said county attorneys explored every possible route to avoid compliance but concluded they would have to abide by the law. "I am a law-and-order county executive," he said. "I believe in the rule of law, even when it's a bad law." The legal confrontation sets up what could be an extended court battle over the balance between state immigration policy and local public safety authority.