Governor Kathy Hochul has criticized recent actions by federal immigration authorities in New York, citing two cases she described as examples of overreach and violations of basic rights. The first involved Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a refugee from Myanmar who was partially blind and did not speak English. He was released by Border Patrol near Buffalo and subsequently never returned to his family.
“And when our federal government makes a decision to release someone from its custody, it has a responsibility to do so safely and with clear communication. That clearly did not happen here. I’ll be meeting with his wife and sons. They’re grieving. They deserve answers. We all want answers to how this could have happened. We’re reviewing every available avenue to understand what happened and ensure there is full accountability, and looking at our Attorney General and others who are looking to find out how this can be investigated,” Hochul said.
The Governor also addressed the case of Columbia University student Ellie Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE agents that allegedly misrepresented themselves as NYPD officers while entering her home without a warrant.
“In this country, since the Fourth Amendment was written 250 years ago, we have known that our houses, our homes are protected from federal intrusion unless there’s a warrant signed by a judge. That did not happen here as a student was taken from her home — and especially when the ICE agents falsely identified themselves as NYPD officers. This is how far this has gone, how far it has gone that they’re now lying about their identities, masking the true purpose of their entry into a building that is someone’s home,” Hochul stated.
Hochul called for new state legislation aimed at restricting ICE and Border Patrol access to sensitive locations such as homes, schools, daycare centers, hospitals, places of worship, and other designated areas within New York State.
“So, I believe we need to have a government that follows the rules. In New York, we will not stay silent. I have proposed some common sense rules to help get this situation under control, and I want to make sure that local police officers are fighting local crimes. This is important. They have a lot to do,” she said.
She emphasized continued investment in local law enforcement but clarified these resources should not be diverted for civil immigration enforcement: “We’ve funded local law enforcement to the tune of $3 billion. I will keep investing in my local law enforcement, my sheriffs, my police departments, and make sure that that is also not diverted for civil immigration enforcement.”
Hochul added: “We’ll always help any federal agent deal with someone who’s committed a crime — always have, always will. We’ll assist in the deportation of individuals who’ve committed crimes. But right now if your rights are being violated I want to make sure you have recourse.”
The Governor concluded by urging swift legislative action on her proposals: “We’ve seen this overreach. It’s time to get it under control. The federal government won’t do it; then we’ll do what we can at the state level.”