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The Ulster County Legislature in Kingston is advancing plans to solidify a 2019 executive order concerning interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. On Tuesday (April 14), the health committee approved the proposal, which will affect only county employees and properties, according to Legislature Chairman Peter Criswell.
Criswell emphasized that the policy is not new but aims to make existing practices permanent, preventing changes with shifts in county leadership. The policy, co-signed by all 18 Democratic legislators, prohibits using county property as staging areas for federal immigration enforcement and restricts sharing non-public personal information unless legally required. It also mandates federal authorities to present a judicial warrant to access non-public areas of county facilities.
The resolution aligns with standards set by former County Executive Pat Ryan and Sheriff Juan Figueroa in 2019. It ensures that county employees have clear guidelines and that constitutional rights are upheld. The policy does not apply to the Ulster County Jail or facilities under the sheriff's control but aligns with the sheriff's 2019 policy requiring judicial warrants for accessing individuals in custody.
The proposed policy will undergo further review by legislative committees in April, with a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, May 19. The move comes amid national debates on immigration enforcement, aiming to provide consistent protections and clarity in county operations.