New York is currently engaged in a very entertaining game of political chicken between state officials who want to block immigration enforcement and a county sheriff who could not possibly care less about their feelings on the matter.
Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood has made it crystal clear that he intends to keep cooperating with ICE, regardless of what Attorney General Letitia James or Governor Kathy Hochul think about it. As The American Tribune reported, Hood got himself a fancy warning letter from the AG's office, which he promptly dismissed as a political stunt designed to generate a "big splash before the election." Nothing says serious governance like a well timed press release disguised as legal correspondence.
Here's the backstory. Governor Hochul signed legislation in May 2026 prohibiting local law enforcement from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement operations. That prohibition kicks in on August 25, 2026. The law also prevents local jails, juvenile detention facilities, and youth detention centers from holding individuals on civil immigration charges. So basically, Albany decided that local cops should pretend federal immigration agents don't exist.
Hood, to his credit, says he'll technically comply. He plans to terminate the formal Section 287(g) cooperation agreement his department currently holds with ICE. But here's where it gets absolutely delicious. He told Syracuse.Com that he fully intends to keep notifying ICE whenever someone booked into the Madison County jail on criminal charges turns out to be in the country illegally. "The only thing is I can't have a contract with them," Hood explained, essentially pointing out that you don't need a formal document to pick up a telephone.
Hood wasn't the only one who got a sternly worded letter, either. James' office fired off warnings to 12 county sheriffs and local police chiefs who had formal arrangements with ICE. The AG also announced that her shiny new Office of Immigrant Trust would pursue legal action against any departments that continued helping federal immigration authorities. Because apparently what New York really needed was another government office.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has launched its own lawsuit challenging the state law on constitutional grounds. That case is currently sitting in U.S. District Court in Albany, where it will presumably gather dust for a while as lawyers bill enormous amounts of money arguing about federalism.
Oh, and one more fun detail. Hood happens to be the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in the upcoming November midterm election. So this whole standoff is basically doubling as a campaign ad, which honestly might be the most efficient use of taxpayer time we've seen from any politician in years. He says he sees zero justification for refusing to cooperate with any agency that requests his department's assistance, and he's always honored ICE requests to hold and transfer individuals booked on criminal charges. The man is consistent, you have to give him that.
Read more American news stories at: The American Tribune
