Will the clash between state mandates and federal funding requirements cost local law enforcement millions in vital grants?

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Possibly, but not automatically—and any major loss of funds would likely be fought in court. Nassau County’s immediate step of ending its ICE 287(g) agreement brings it into line with New York’s new law, reducing the risk of state enforcement penalties. But the broader financial risk comes from Washington: the Justice Department has tied some FY2026 public-safety grants to immigration cooperation, including roughly $700 million in COPS programs and a $300 million Model Cities Initiative. Some grant notices say agencies that “impede or hinder” federal immigration enforcement may be denied funding, while others give priority to jurisdictions that cooperate with ICE or Homeland Security task forces. That creates a real squeeze for New York agencies. State law now bars local police and sheriffs from maintaining 287(g) agreements or helping enforce civil immigration law, while federal grant rules increasingly reward that kind of cooperation. If a county fully follows New York law, it could become less competitive for some discretionary federal grants, especially the ones explicitly favoring immigration-enforcement partnerships. Still, the loss is not certain. Much depends on the exact grant program, how federal officials interpret “cooperation,” and whether compliance with New York law still allows enough coordination in criminal cases. There is also substantial legal doubt around broad federal attempts to condition grants on immigration cooperation; courts have previously limite…

Nassau County Ends ICE 287(g) Pact as New York Law Triggers Subpoenas

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Nassau County Ends ICE 287(g) Pact as New York Law Triggers Subpoenas

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