Hochul Signs New York Ban on Masked ICE Agents, Restricting Raids at Schools and Churches
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 29
Hochul Signs New York Ban on Masked ICE Agents, Restricting Raids at Schools and Churches
7 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 29
Friday's law bars U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from operating masked in New York and limits immigration enforcement at sensitive sites including schools and churches.
The measure also blocks local police agencies from signing agreements that deputize officers as federal immigration agents, cutting off a key cooperation channel.
New Yorkers can now sue federal officials they believe violated their rights during immigration operations, adding a new legal check on enforcement in the state.
What happens when New York's new rules for ICE agents clash with federal law during an arrest?
Could New York's new law unexpectedly boost its local job market, as recent economic studies suggest?
Are states creating a new legal playbook to challenge federal authority on immigration enforcement?
Inside New York’s 2026 Immigration Law: Key Provisions, Mask Ban Showdown, and the Fight for Local Control
Overview
In May 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act into law after months of negotiations and as part of the state budget. This sweeping legislation aims to limit local law enforcement’s involvement in federal immigration activities by prohibiting 287(g) agreements, which previously allowed local police to act as ICE agents. The law also stops local jails from detaining people for civil immigration violations and bans contracts with ICE for holding detainees. These changes mark a major shift in New York’s approach, creating a clearer separation between local policing and federal immigration enforcement.