It is urgent that Nassau County residents call County Executive Laura Curran to demand an end to Nassau’s current policy of cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As ICE’s actions become more and more outrageous under Donald Trump, the security of Long Island’s immigrants is in grave danger because county law enforcement agencies lack clear policies on honoring non-judicial ICE warrants and detainers for non-criminal immigrants. The county jail even has an ICE office located on county property.
Curran did not initiate these policies, but she has had six months in office to change them and, to date, nothing has been done. Immigrant organizations are calling for Curran to adopt policies similar to those in Westchester, where county law enforcement agencies, including the police, sheriff, and correctional officers, are prohibited from sharing information with ICE, except when required by federal or state laws. Westchester also bars law enforcement from honoring non-judicial warrants and denies ICE access to county jails, unless ICE has obtained a judicial warrant or if otherwise required by law. Westchester also prohibits its jail from delaying the release of inmatesfrom custody because of non-judicial ICE detainers.
Nassau County undermines its credibility in immigrant communities when an arrest for a traffic violation can lead to deportation. Curran has had more than enough time to study this issue. She needs to enact policies like the Westchester model, and she needs to immediately close the ICE office in the Nassau jail in East Meadow.
Please call Laura Curran today at 516-571-3131. Tell her to “End Nassau’s cooperation with ICE now.”
