Ashby pushes for ICE to return to criminal threats

There’s a push to return U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in New York state to refocus solely on criminal threats.

“I think what we’ve seen recently is a failure in leadership at the federal level,” said state Sen. Jake Ashby (R-District 43). “I would hope that a bill like this would prompt change.”

Ashby introduced a bill that includes banning ICE agents from sensitive places, including hospitals, places of worship and schools. It would also mandate coordination between local law enforcement and ICE agents on warrantless immigration enforcement raids. The bill doesn’t ban coordination in the execution of judicial warrants during a legitimate state or federal criminal investigation.

Ashby is pushing for this measure to take effect immediately and expire in one year to give federal lawmakers time to come up with a bipartisan immigration reform.

“I have announced, effective immediately, we’ll draw down 700 people,” President Donald Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan said Wednesday.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration is drawing down immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota. It’s after weeks of soaring tensions that led to two U.S. citizens being shot and killed by agents on camera.

“American citizens are being murdered on our streets by government agents,” said state Sen. Michelle Hinchey (D-District 41). “This is not about civil immigration. This is not about public safety. This is about absolute and complete control meant to terrorize us into submission.”

Ashby’s bill follows last week’s call from Senate Democrats for Republicans to join their joint national statement demanding that immigration officers leave Minnesota immediately.

“Everyone is recognizing that what’s the status quo right now undermines public safety and New York needs to do something,” said Dave Basnet, senior manager of immigrant rights policy at the New York Immigration Coalition.

Basney is calling for the passage of the New York for All Act, which prohibits and regulates the discovery and disclosure of a person’s immigration status.