DHS Tells ICE Agents to Ignore New York Mask Ban, Escalating Clash 1 Week After Law
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 29
DHS Tells ICE Agents to Ignore New York Mask Ban, Escalating Clash 1 Week After Law
4 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29
A May 15 DHS legal memo told ICE officers they are not required to follow state or local mask bans while carrying out federal duties and should act without fear of prosecution.
The guidance answers New York’s new restrictions announced about a week earlier, including a mask ban, a right to sue ICE agents for constitutional violations, and limits on searches of schools and hospitals without a judge-signed warrant.
Jen Goodman, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kathy Hochul, said any ICE agent who enters New York and violates state law will be held accountable.
The standoff points to a broader national fight as states move to curb immigration enforcement after 2 Americans were killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis.
With courts divided on the issue, can states legally force federal immigration agents to unmask during enforcement operations?
When state and federal laws on immigration clash, who has the final say in sensitive locations like schools and hospitals?