Monday, May 19, 2025
In the early months of President Trump’s second term, Long Island has become a battleground in the national debate over whether to welcome or vilify immigrants. Local and national elected officials have sought ways to scapegoat our immigrant neighbors, ostensibly in the name of public safety. But their actions will not make us safer — in fact, they will do the opposite.
Cracking down on immigrants makes communities less safe by eroding trust in law enforcement, diverting resources from violent crime and increasing racial profiling, leaving innocent New Yorkers vulnerable to aggressive policing.
Take House Resolution 32, proposed by U.S. Rep. Nick Lalota, whose district comprises most of Suffolk County. H.R. 32 would strip federal funding from cities and states that do not help the federal government carry out mass deportations. This would strip critical public funding — from disaster relief to school meals — all to advance a mass deportation agenda, which would have devastating consequences for our economy and New Yorkers.
Beyond the threat to critical funding, the most alarming impact of H.R. 32 is that it would make our communities less safe. Policies that limit local law enforcement’s involvement in federal immigration activities build trust between communities and law enforcement. When immigrants don’t have to fear the cops, they are more likely to feel safe to report crimes and cooperate with police, keeping neighborhoods safer. H.R. 32 also violates the 10th Amendment’s protection against federal overreach, and would likely be struck down in court.
But H.R. 32 isn’t the only measure being proposed by Long Island elected officials to attack immigrant communities. Earlier this year, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced that the county Police Department had signed an agreement to collude with Immigration Customs and Enforcement. This gives county police broad authority to question residents about their citizenship and make warrantless arrests. This isn’t a simple collaboration — it’s a “task force,” the most expansive type of collaborative agreement with federal immigration authorities.
This “task force” won’t improve safety — in fact, it will distract law enforcement from solving real crimes. When county police are forced to focus on arresting immigrants to score cheap political points, violent local crimes like murders, rapes and assaults will be deprioritized. How will this make Nassau County safer?
Making matters worse, this aggressive approach to policing is sure to increase racial profiling and discrimination. When local police are tasked with enforcing federal immigration laws, they are more likely to rely on racial and ethnic stereotypes to determine whom they stop and question. The result is an environment where entire communities — especially Latino, Black and immigrant New Yorkers — live under constant fear. Unlike H.R. 32, Nassau’s ICE collaboration is already underway — with chilling consequences.
Long Island is home to over a half-million immigrants — nearly one in five Long Islanders. They account for 22 percent of the region’s economic output. Many are longstanding members of our community. Is this how we want to treat our neighbors?
To see how cruel and counterproductive these policies are, consider the recent detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, a legal resident and green card-holder abducted by ICE for his role in the protests at Columbia University last year. He was seized without a warrant and sent to a detention center in Louisiana with almost no access to his lawyer or his wife. Whatever your stance on Khalil’s politics, imprisoning a legal resident without a warrant should alarm anyone who values the First Amendment.
An environment in which people are scared to be in public and engage with law enforcement is not one that will make us safe. There is a better way to address immigration status and keep our communities safe: The New York for All Act. This act, currently before the State Legislature, would prohibit state and local government agencies, including police and sheriffs, from colluding with ICE, disclosing sensitive information, and diverting personnel or other resources to federal immigration enforcement. By passing this act, we’ll be one step closer to cultivating safe and vibrant communities for all New Yorkers.
New York for All would let immigrants live without fear, keep state funds from fueling a cruel immigration crackdown, and ensure that local resources serve our communities. It’s not just the right thing to do — it will make Long Island safer.
Murad Awawdeh is president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition. Melanie Creps is executive director of the Central American Refugee Center.
