The Lie:
County Executive Bruce Blakeman lied when he claimed that the partnership between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Nassau Police Department (NCPD) will only pursue undocumented immigrants charged with non-immigration crimes.
Why You May Believe the Lie:
Blakeman continues to say, “We’re not going after people who are law abiding,” and he doubled-down on his lie with his State of the County speech, when he said, “All arrests are targeted toward removing criminals.”
Blakeman continues this lie, even as Newsday continues to report that Nassau jailed more immigrants with no criminal history than those who do.
The Truth:
Contrary to Blakeman’s statement, the agreement between ICE and NCPD empowers Police Officers to arrest for immigration violations and requires Nassau County to spend taxpayer dollars to train the Officers.
Local police are authorized to initiate traffic stops, detain pedestrians and make arrests if an officer believes a person may be undocumented, elevating the risk of racial profiling. Nassau residents, even green card holders and those granted asylum, are living in fear.
- Community mistrust of Blakeman’s agreement with ICE has been increasing, especially since a 42-year old man died while in ICE custody at the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow last September 2025 and ICE failed to comply with a congressionally mandated deadline to release details surrounding his death.
- Reports indicate that Nassau County violated its own three-day limit for holding detainees at the East Meadow center.
Action You Can Take:
- Share this post on your social media and email and discuss it with your friends.
Contact Blakeman and demand he terminate his 287g cooperative agreement with ICE, and that he stop terrorizing our neighbors at nassaucountyny.gov/481/County-Executive or call Blakeman at 516-571-6000 or 516-571-3131 – prompt 5, then “other”.
Source & Additional Media:
- Newsday, Jones, B. (2025/02/14), “Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says police will only pursue migrants who commit crimes”
- Newsday, Case, A. (2025/04/16), “Nassau’s agreement with ICE to help detain immigrants is dangerous”
- Newsday, “ICE blows past federal deadline mandating report on Nassau jail death“, by Bahar Ostadan” January 8, 2026:
- NY Post, “Nassau County breaks its own rules by keeping ICE detainees too long, activists claim”, by Brandon Cruz and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, Dec. 16, 2025.
- Executed agreement between ICE and Nassau County: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/287gMOA/nassauCoPoliceDept_TFM_MOA_03.03.2025.pdf, March 3, 2025
- Newsday, Bruce Blakeman touts flat taxes and ICE arrests in 2026 State of the County address, by Bahar Ostadan March 9, 2026.
- Newsday, “ICE arrested more people on Long Island than ever before. The numbers keep growing.” By Anastasia Valeeva & Josefa Velásquez, April 8, 2026
