In what came as a surprise to local officials, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Friday identified Yates County as one of 15 New York counties it says are obstructing federal immigration enforcement. The designation, released in a published list, includes counties, cities, and states deemed to be “sanctuary jurisdictions” — areas DHS claims are not complying with federal immigration laws.
According to the department, sanctuary jurisdictions are those that limit cooperation with federal law enforcement, restrict the sharing of immigration-related information, or provide legal protections to individuals in the country illegally. DHS described these jurisdictions as “deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws,” asserting that such policies “endanger American communities” and “put law enforcement in peril.”
Alongside Yates County, Tompkins and Wayne counties were also named. DHS said each will receive formal notice of their alleged non-compliance with federal statutes. The department is demanding that these counties immediately review and revise their local policies to align with federal immigration law.
The news is surprising as Yates County does not have a sanctuary policy in place. In fact, the county passed a resolution in 2019 (Res. #256-19) opposing NYS becoming a sanctuary state.
“The Yates County Sheriff’s Office has always, and will always, work to assist our Federal Law Enforcement partners to the fullest extent we are allowed by New York State law to do,” said Sheriff Frank Ryan in a statement to Finger Lakes Daily News. “There are no plans in place to change the way we assist our Federal Law Enforcement agencies in the future. We were not aware of Yates County being on this list until it was published, and will be making contact the Department of Homeland Security to determine why we were placed on this list and what steps need to be taken to be removed from it.”
“Sanctuary cities protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril,” the DHS statement said.
Here is the full DHS list for New York State:
Counties
- Albany County
- Dutchess County
- Monroe County
- Orange County
- Putnam County
- Rockland County
- Saratoga County
- Suffolk County
- Sullivan County
- Tompkins County
- Ulster County
- Warren County
- Wayne County
- Westchester County
- Yates County
Cities
- Albany
- Beacon
- East Hampton
- Hudson
- Ithaca
- Kingston
- New Paltz
- New York City
- Newburgh
- Poughkeepsie
- Rochester
- Syracuse
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