Resolution Put Forward Following ICE Arrests, Activity on East End

The proposal recognizes the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration law and states it is not intended to obstruct or interfere with ICE but instead to operate within local police powers to protect public safety, prevent fraud and safeguard constitutional rights.

“ICE is not performing these raids in a way that has any sort of order to them,” Perez said. “They are showing up, they are putting on masks and running around and trying to chase people down. How is that the way we keep our order out here? We’ve enjoyed safety, and calm and peaceful communities, and now we have this. What is the role of town and village to make sure that they’re just not stepping aside and saying, ‘Oh, well, this is the way things are now.’ That’s unacceptable. Towns and villages do have the authority and the power to use their resources in a way to uphold public safety, and that’s what we’re looking at with this.”

Under the proposal, local police departments would be required to investigate and respond to reports of individuals impersonating ICE or other federal law enforcement officers, establish verification protocols to confirm the legitimacy of federal credentials, and maintain detailed records of such incidents. Confirmed cases of impersonation would be reported to federal and state authorities and disclosed to the public, with protections for victim privacy and ongoing investigations.

The resolution also calls for formal reporting of ICE-related enforcement activity when local police respond to such incidents, with reports shared with town leadership, governing boards and, where appropriate, the public. It would establish a community task force on immigration enforcement to advise local officials and represent a range of community stakeholders. Additional provisions address the use of license plate recognition technology for public safety purposes while prohibiting profiling based on race, religion or First Amendment activity. The law would take effect immediately upon filing with the New York secretary of state.

“There are things that we would like to see that are reasonable,” Perez said. “Not to stop ICE from what they’re doing, because we understand that local law enforcement cannot do that, but in terms of: Let’s have a true reckoning with the decrease and the crashing and the breaking of our public safety and accountability every time ICE comes to town, and the idea that we’ve got local law enforcement that have been upholding the law and safety and protocol and a degree of order, and all of these things. Now, every time ICE comes to town, there is absolute chaos, pandemonium.”

Following the raid in Flanders, Suffolk Credit Union put out a statement saying they were not aware ICE had planned to use their parking lot.

“Suffolk Credit Union was not notified that ICE was planning to use our branch parking lot, and such activities were not authorized or coordinated with the Credit Union,” the company said in a statement. “The Credit Union is grateful to the Southampton Town police for maintaining peace and that everyone walked away without incident. Our top priority is, and always will be, providing our members and employees with a safe, secure, and welcoming environment to conduct their banking and financial business. As a financial institution, Suffolk Credit Union complies with all applicable laws and legal requirements. We do not control the actions of external agencies that may be present in public areas near our locations, nor can we interfere with their operations.”