Nassau County on track to detain 3,000 people for ICE this year
NASSAU COUNTY (WABC) -- Nassau County is on track to lock up 3,000 immigrants detained for ICE this year, as part of the county's agreement with Homeland Security.
The county has held 2,188 detainees so far, and continues to hold arrested immigrants for ICE for detainment, breaking with New York City, which considers itself a sanctuary city.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Nassau has been holding several hundred ICE detainees per month as part of an agreement called "287(g)," that ICE struck in February with Nassau County to rent out 50 local jail cells in East Meadow through the Sheriff's Department.
The agreement also calls for the county to assign up to 10 Nassau County police detectives to cross embed with ICE agents, giving them the power to arrest immigrants without legal status.
"We've have had a vast decrease in crime here in Nassau County," said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. "I think one of the reasons is that we have the most comprehensive agreement with ICE in probably any county in America."
Blakeman touted the cooperation with the Trump administration but critics say it's illegal.
"Local law enforcement agencies are actually not permitted to participate in civil activities," said Ify Chikezie of the New York Civil Liberties Union.
The New York Civil Liberties Union is suing Nassau County, its police department and police commissioner Patrick Ryder, claiming it violates state law.
"We would want to see that police activity and the fear that is being stopped," Chikezie said.
Blakeman, who supports the 287(g) agreement, weighed in.
"There is no fear in the Hispanic American communities," Blakeman said.
Others, like Nassau County Hispanic Community Advocate Luis Mendez, disagree.
"There is still fear in minority communities about that relationship and that has definitely decimated the great community relationship that Nassau County Police Department had," Mendez said.
Mendez is the former deputy director of Nassau County Minority Affairs. He now works closely with many of the 198,000 people of the Nassau County Hispanic community.
"They're not working for ICE on a regular basis or a full-time basis," Blakeman said. "They're on an as needed basis. So far, they've been used a few times with ICE."
Blakeman says the federal government would reimburse police for their help and give $195 a night at the Nassau jail for each ICE detainee.
ICE says its agents have detained more than 1,600 people on Long Island with prior convictions from January through August.
The agency would not say how many people were detained without a criminal history, evoking more fear in the Latino community.
"Unfortunately for me, I have to walk around with my passport on me," Mendez said.
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