New York Attorney General Letitia James is giving a dozen local law enforcement agencies a firm deadline to cut ties with federal immigration enforcement. Her office’s newly formed Office of Immigrant Trust has ordered 12 departments to terminate their agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by August 25, 2026, following new state budget legislation that limits local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. James has cast the move as a way to protect immigrant communities and shore up public trust in local policing.
AG's office sets deadline
According to a post on X, the Office of Immigrant Trust notified a dozen local agencies that it will enforce state laws limiting the use of local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement, with August 25, 2026 set as the cutoff. The post identifies the new bureau as the unit responsible for overseeing compliance, but it does not release a list of which departments received the notice.
What the new law does
The deadline is rooted in the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, a package in this year’s enacted budget that bans 287(g) deputizations and prevents local jails from holding people solely on civil immigration violations, as outlined by the governor's office. The package also limits the use of face coverings by federal officers and shields sensitive locations, including hospitals and schools, from warrantless ICE activity, according to local reporting. Supporters argue the measures keep local police focused on criminal matters and improve public safety, while critics warn the state could face federal legal challenges.
Who’s affected and resistance
As reported by the Times Union, 13 local police departments and sheriff’s offices still had active 287(g) contracts earlier this year, and several counties, including Rensselaer and Nassau, have indicated they plan to challenge the ban. The paper noted that jails holding ICE detainees receive daily per-detainee payments that help patch local budgets, so ending those arrangements could strip counties of significant revenue. Some sheriffs told the outlet they intend to comply with the law while they litigate, while others signaled they will directly contest the mandate in court.
Legal implications
The attorney general and governor have already taken their defense of the package to court. In June, James joined Governor Kathy Hochul in suing the federal government to protect the new community safety laws, according to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General. The release stressed the administration’s intent to preserve state authority and transparency. James’s post on X states that the Office of Immigrant Trust will oversee compliance with the new restrictions and reiterates the August 25, 2026 deadline. A later update on X warns agencies that the end date is firm and that enforcement steps will follow for any that refuse to comply.
What to watch
In the months ahead, observers will be watching whether the 12 named agencies follow the order and terminate their ICE agreements outright, attempt to negotiate phased exits from their federal contracts, or go on offense in court before the August 25 deadline. Community groups and civil-rights lawyers say they plan to track both local compliance and any enforcement actions coming out of the attorney general’s office. Court filings and public notices from county sheriffs or police chiefs are likely to be the clearest early signs of how this power struggle between state and local officials ultimately unfolds.
