New York Sheriff Vows to Keep Working With ICE Despite Hochul’s New Restrictions

A county sheriff in upstate New York says Albany’s latest attempt to restrict cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities will not stop his department from turning criminal illegal immigrants over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood is pushing back against legislation signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul that prohibits formal and informal agreements between local agencies and ICE.

For Hood, the issue is straightforward: when someone illegally present in the United States lands in his jail after allegedly committing a crime, federal immigration authorities will still be contacted.

“I’m still going to contact ICE when we have somebody come in here that’s illegal and committed a crime. They are going to come get them, and we’re going to hand them off, and they are going to go with them and get the issue that they have with ICE taken care of,” he said.

The legislation, known as the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, is scheduled to take effect next month. But Hood told WSYR-TV that his department’s fundamental approach will remain unchanged.

The sheriff argued that restricting communication between law-enforcement agencies can have serious consequences when violent offenders are involved.

“A rape in the first degree. Imagine something like that happening to one of your family members. You would want the police working together, and there’s the divide where they aren’t allowing that to happen in New York State,” he said, noting that he has honored seven detainers from ICE since September in cases that involved rape, robbery, DWI, and weapons offenses.

Hood also rejected the suggestion that his department is conducting a broad immigration crackdown. Instead, he drew a clear distinction between illegal immigrants who stay out of trouble and those who enter the criminal justice system.

“These are people that are in here committing crimes. They are not the ones that are in here working. We have a ton of farmland in Madison County, and we have a lot of people that are in here that are illegal, that are working and doing jobs and staying out of trouble. The ones that get into trouble, they come here,” he said.

The dispute highlights a broader clash between New York’s Democratic leadership and local officials who argue that political restrictions should not interfere with cooperation designed to remove criminal offenders from American communities.

Hood has also dismissed criticism from the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James over his department’s previous cooperation with ICE.

“They are doing this as a political stunt because it really doesn’t change the way we’re operating,” said Hood.

According to Syracuse.com, Hood characterized the warning from state officials as “a big splash before the election,” as Hochul faces Republican Bruce Blakeman in her reelection campaign.

The sheriff made clear that the state’s new restrictions will not end communication with federal immigration officials.

“I’m still going to work with ICE. They can’t prevent us from working with them.”

“When somebody comes into my jail with a criminal charge, and they’re an illegal, they’ll still get notified,” Hood said of ICE. “They’re still going to come pick them up. The only thing is I can’t have a contract with them.”

President Donald Trump’s administration is challenging the New York law, placing the dispute within the larger national battle over immigration enforcement, federal authority, and sanctuary-style policies adopted by Democrat-led jurisdictions.

Until that legal fight is resolved, Hood says his department intends to continue putting public safety ahead of political pressure from Albany.

“The majority of people that we deal with are coming into my jail on a criminal charge,” he said.

For the Madison County sheriff, criminals who are also unlawfully present in the country should not receive special protection simply because state politicians oppose the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.

“I don’t have to go into people’s houses. I don’t have to go into their place of business or worship. They come to me. They’ve already done something wrong. They don’t belong in our country. And now they’re committing a crime. So, it’s time to go,” he said.