Does New York cooperate with ICE? What did Governor Kathy Hochul change about immigration enforcement in New York?

In 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, a law that restricts state and local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement and prohibits New York law-enforcement agencies from participating in ICE's 287(g) program.

The law does not prohibit all cooperation between New York law enforcement and federal authorities. Criminal investigations remain distinct from federal civil immigration enforcement.

Here are five major ways Hochul's immigration policies limit state and local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

1. Hochul Banned New York’s 287(g) Agreements With ICE

On May 27, 2026, Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act.

The law prohibits New York local governments and law-enforcement agencies from entering or remaining in agreements with ICE under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

ICE's 287(g) program allows participating state and local officers to receive training and authorization to perform specified federal immigration-enforcement functions under ICE supervision.

New York's law effectively removed that option for local law-enforcement agencies across the state.

2. New York Ordered 12 Law-Enforcement Agencies to End Their ICE Agreements

When New York implemented the new restrictions, 12 local law-enforcement agencies had active 287(g) agreements with ICE.

The New York Attorney General's Office notified those agencies that state law required them to unwind their agreements by August 25, 2026.

That meant counties that previously chose to participate in ICE's immigration-enforcement program could no longer maintain those agreements under New York law.

3. New York Restricted Local Jails From Supporting Federal Civil Immigration Detention

Hochul's immigration policy goes beyond the 287(g) program.

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act also prohibits local governments and law-enforcement agencies from entering certain arrangements that use local resources or facilities to detain individuals solely for federal civil immigration violations.

This distinction is important.

The law does not prohibit New York police from working with federal authorities on criminal investigations. Instead, it specifically limits state and local participation in civil immigration enforcement.

4. Hochul Helped Create the Office of Immigrant Trust

New York also established the Office of Immigrant Trust (OIT) within the New York Attorney General's Office.

The office is responsible for enforcing state laws that limit state and local involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement.

Its authority includes investigating potential violations, reviewing records, interviewing witnesses, issuing subpoenas and bringing civil actions when warranted.

The office also oversees compliance with restrictions involving 287(g) agreements, state and local resources, sensitive information and other immigration-enforcement activities.

5. Hochul and Letitia James Sued a Sheriff Over Continued ICE Cooperation

New York has also gone to court to enforce its 287(g) ban.

On August 27, 2026, Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Hochul announced a lawsuit against the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office after the office did not confirm that it had terminated its 287(g) agreement with ICE by the state's August 25 deadline.

According to the Attorney General's Office, Rensselaer County was the only one of the 12 agencies that had not indicated an intention to dissolve its agreement by that point.

The lawsuit asks a court to compel the Sheriff's Office to terminate the agreement and declare it void and unenforceable under New York law.

What Is Kathy Hochul’s Policy on ICE and Immigration Enforcement?

Hochul's current policy restricts the extent to which New York state and local government resources can be used for federal civil immigration enforcement.

Under the policies enacted in 2026:

• New York law-enforcement agencies cannot participate in ICE's 287(g) program.
• Existing 287(g) agreements were required to be terminated.
• State and local resources face restrictions on their use for civil immigration enforcement.
• Certain agreements involving detention solely for federal civil immigration violations are prohibited.
• The Office of Immigrant Trust oversees compliance with these state restrictions.
• New York has taken legal action to enforce the 287(g) ban.

These policies do not prohibit every form of cooperation between New York and federal law enforcement. Hochul's administration has explicitly distinguished criminal investigations from civil immigration enforcement.

Is New York a Sanctuary State?

There is no single federal legal definition of a “sanctuary state.”

The term is commonly used in political and policy debates to describe jurisdictions that restrict how state or local resources can be used for federal immigration enforcement.

New York's 2026 laws establish several such restrictions, including its prohibition on local 287(g) agreements and limitations on the use of local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement.

For legal accuracy, the more precise description is that New York limits state and local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kathy Hochul, ICE and New York Immigration Policy

Does New York cooperate with ICE?

Yes, in some circumstances. New York's 2026 restrictions primarily concern federal civil immigration enforcement. They do not prohibit cooperation with federal law enforcement in criminal investigations.

Did Kathy Hochul ban 287(g) agreements in New York?

Yes. Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act on May 27, 2026. The law prohibits New York local governments and law-enforcement agencies from entering or remaining in 287(g) agreements with ICE.

What is an ICE 287(g) agreement?

Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act allows ICE to enter agreements with state and local law-enforcement agencies. Participating officers can receive training and authorization to perform specified immigration-enforcement functions under ICE supervision.

How many New York law-enforcement agencies had 287(g) agreements?

According to the New York Attorney General's Office, 12 local law-enforcement agencies had 287(g) agreements when the state began enforcing its new prohibition in 2026.

When did New York's 287(g) agreements have to end?

New York required existing agencies to exercise their termination provisions by August 25, 2026.

What is New York's Office of Immigrant Trust?

The Office of Immigrant Trust is a bureau within the New York Attorney General's Office created to enforce state civil laws involving immigrant communities and restrictions on state and local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement.

Did New York sue a sheriff over an ICE agreement?

Yes. On August 27, 2026, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul announced a lawsuit against the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office over its 287(g) agreement with ICE.

Does the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act stop police from working with federal authorities on criminal cases?

No. The Hochul administration has stated that the law does not prohibit state or local law enforcement from continuing to cooperate with federal law enforcement in criminal investigations.

What Does the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act Mean for New York?

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act represents a significant change in how New York participates in federal immigration enforcement.

Rather than allowing individual counties and law-enforcement agencies to decide whether to participate in ICE's 287(g) program, New York state law now prohibits those agreements statewide.

The result is a clear statewide policy: local law-enforcement resources can still be used for policing and criminal investigations, while their use for federal civil immigration enforcement is substantially restricted.

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