ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said New York refused to hand over 16,000 undocumented migrants accused or convicted of crimes since the start of the second Trump Administration.
Governor Kathy Hochul’s office strongly refuted those claims, saying the state always notifies immigration enforcement of any non-citizen serving a state prison sentence.
Download our WTEN+ streaming app on Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV!
“Governor Hochul has been clear: New York State is not and never will be a sanctuary for violent criminals,” a spokesperson for Hochul said. “Any assertion otherwise is a blatant mischaracterization of the facts meant to distract from the cruelty and violence we saw from Secretary Mullin’s ICE agents last week.”
DHS stated there are 52,503 total crimes and convictions associated with the undocumented individuals that range from homicides to drug offenses.
“These are criminal illegal aliens turned loose by the state of New York who refuses to do its job,” Rensselaer County Executive Steven McLaughlin said.
Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox!
McLaughlin has criticized the Hochul Administration for its immigration policies, including the 287(g) Agreement Ban, which went into effect in August and limits how much local law enforcement can cooperate with ICE.
“They are infringing on the constitutional rights of a duly elected New York Sheriff,” McLaughlin said.
As a result, Rensselaer County filed a lawsuit against the state challenging the ban. Attorney General Letitia James also filed a lawsuit that ordered the county to stop working with ICE.
When asked if the county had complied with the order, McLaughlin said no comment and added that he wouldn’t be surprised if the legal fight made it to the Supreme Court.
Read the latest from NEWS10:
NEWS10 is the Capital Region’s local news leader!