Local & State
Long Island voters split over New York’s ban on local-ICE cooperation
PN Team • 1 month ago
A new Newsday/Siena University poll finds Long Islanders narrowly opposed to New York's Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, which bars local law enforcement from entering cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The poll found 51% opposed and 45% in support, with responses split sharply along party lines: 75% of Democrats back the law while 74% of Republicans oppose it. Independents lean against it, 57% to 38%.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the law earlier this year, prompting Nassau County to end its ICE agreements in August and 15 upstate sheriffs to sue over the measure. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican challenging Hochul in November, has criticized the law and says the county still plans to join the sheriffs' lawsuit. Siena pollster Don Levy said the Long Island numbers, weaker in support than statewide polling, could give Blakeman an opening on the issue. The law restricts civil immigration enforcement cooperation but does not bar police from working with ICE on criminal matters.
Sources:
Sentiment
- Kathy Hochul Hochul's signature law faces majority opposition on Long Island and lawsuits from sheriffs, reflecting negatively on her policy standing.
- Democratic Party (United States) Democrats are noted as strongly supporting the law, a neutral factual data point.
- Republican Party (United States) Republicans are shown largely opposing the law, a factual partisan data point with slight negative framing given majority opposition context.
- Long Island Long Island is the geographic focus of the poll, mentioned factually without reputational valence.