New York Sheriffs Sue Over Law Barring ICE Cooperation

More than a dozen New York sheriffs filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday challenging a new state law that prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, as Governor Kathy Hochul vowed to take legal action against any county that refuses to comply. The lawsuit, led by Rensselaer County Sheriff Kyle Bourgault, argues the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, which took effect on August 26, 2026, is unconstitutional and unlawfully restricts elected sheriffs from entering into federally authorized immigration enforcement agreements. The law, signed by Hochul in May, bars local and state agencies from entering into or maintaining 287g agreements with U.S.