Ex-Gov. David Paterson slammed Gov. Kathy Hochul and fellow Democrats Sunday for ramming through a package of anti-ICE sanctuary laws — warning the crusade could cost the Empire State.
Paterson accused Hochul and Albany lawmakers of “really impairing” local governments’ ability to cooperate with federal agencies, possibly increasing the chance of federal raids and opening up the state to lawsuits with taxpayers on the hook for the tab.
“The last I heard, the federal government supersedes the local government,” Paterson told radio host John Catsimatidis on 77 WABC’s “Cats Roundtable.”
“When I was governor, I tried to adhere to that,” said Paterson, who also previously served as chairman of the New York State Democratic Party.
His comments come after Democrats passed a sweeping package of bills that largely outlaw cooperation with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The sprawling legislative package not only handcuffs cops from partnering with federal immigration authorities, but also bars ICE agents from most public places like hospitals and parks, and prevents them from wearing masks.
It also seeks to undo “287-g” cooperation deals that local governments struck up with federal officials to hold detainees for ICE. This would include Nassau County, where Hochul’s rival GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman is now serving as county executive.
The state bill passed last week bans those agreements and goes a step further — prohibiting all “informal cooperation,” such as a local cop calling ICE if they believe they have an undocumented migrant in custody.
Blakeman praised Paterson as a “common sense” Democrat.
“Common Sense Democrats know that Kathy Hochul has made our neighborhoods less safe with her pro-criminal policies,” Blakeman told The Post. “Governor Paterson is a sensible and thoughtful Democrat who is rightfully appalled with Hochul’s support of this dangerous legislation.”
GOP county executives will likely sue Hochul and the Democrats for restricting their ability to help the federal government enforce immigration law, Paterson said.
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“Nassau County, Suffolk County, the other counties around the state could ban together and bring a lawsuit against the state legislature itself, and the governor for taking this approach.” said Paterson, who served as governor from 2008-2010 when former Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned. “I just don’t understand how we got into the situation we are in now.
“It was an egregious mistake they made,” he said of his fellow Democrats.
The package includes:
- The so-called “Bivens Act,” allowing people to sue ICE agents should they violate their constitutional rights, such as by entering their home without a warrant.
- Barring most public employees, like civilians at a law enforcement agency, hospital workers and DMV staff from any interaction with federal immigration authorities without presentation of a judicial warrant.
- Creating an “Office of Immigrant Trust” within Attorney General Letitia James’ office, with the ability to enforce provisions of the bill, including going after local governments that don’t comply.
- Banning all federal law enforcement officers from wearing masks to conceal their identity.
- Preventing local governments from granting zoning variances for immigration detention centers without a six-month public comment period.
Hochul, who is seeking re-election this fall to a second full, four-year term, first unveiled her anti-ICE pitch earlier this year, in the wake of President Trump’s ICE surge in Minnesota.
The governor defended the measures outlawing cooperation with ICE during a recent press event.
“This is where the State law would take precedence over local preference and the Attorney General’s office would be empowered to enforce as she does with other laws of the State of New York to ensure full compliance,” Hochul said.
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