More than a dozen New York sheriffs have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state's Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, which came into force this week and bars local and state law enforcement from partnering with ICE on civil immigration enforcement. Governor Kathy Hochul responded defiantly, warning she would sue any county or police force that maintained agreements with the federal agency, deepening a dispute over immigration enforcement between the Democratic governor and Republican officials, including her gubernatorial challenger, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

The lawsuit, led by Rensselaer County Sheriff Kyle Bourgault, argues the law is unconstitutional and improperly restricts sheriffs from entering federally authorised immigration agreements. The Act, signed by Hochul in May, also requires existing civil detention agreements to be terminated within three months, though police may still assist ICE on violent or non-immigration crimes. New York Attorney General Letitia James has issued subpoenas to sheriff's offices in Broome, Steuben, Nassau and Rensselaer counties, plus Nassau County Police, threatening civil suits against those that fail to comply, while Blakeman said he would "probably" join the sheriffs' legal challenge.