Immigration Advocates Welcome Launch of Immigrant Trust Office in NY
NEW YORK, New York – Immigration advocates in New York have welcomed the launch of the Office of Immigrant Trust (OIT) aimed at not colluding with federal immigration enforcement, such as United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).
In making the announcement, New York State Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul said that OIT will be charged with investigating potential unlawful collusion by State and local government employees with federal immigration enforcement, and sent letters to the 12 local law enforcement agencies in New York that currently have 287(g) agreements with ICE, informing them that state law requires they unwind the agreements by August 25.
“New York State is not in the business of doing ICE’s dirty work.” Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Wednesday.
NYIC is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York.
“New Yorkers should have full confidence that State and local agencies are fully implementing recently enacted laws that limit collaboration with ICE and Border Patrol, and expand data protections in interactions with government agencies,” Awawdeh said. “The Office of Immigrant Trust, under the authority of the New York State Attorney General, will play a vital role in ensuring compliance with these laws, particularly in ensuring all local jurisdictions terminate all 287(g) agreements and that New Yorkers are not held in local jails for alleged immigration violations.
“We applaud Attorney General Letitia James for swiftly creating this office, and look forward to working with OIT and other State partners to ensure that State resources are never used to disappear our immigrant neighbors,” he added.
James and Hochul said the new OIT is a first-of-its-kind statewide bureau within the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
Created as part of a legislative package championed and signed by Hochul on May 27, 2026, James said on Wednesday that OIT is “dedicated to enforcing New York laws that protect immigrant communities, strengthen public trust, and limit the use of state and local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement.”
As part of its duties, she said OIT will receive complaints, provide guidance to state and local agencies, conduct investigations, and take legal action when necessary to ensure compliance with state law.
“New York is strongest when every community is able to trust the institutions meant to serve them,” said Attorney General James. “The Office of Immigrant Trust will help ensure that schools, local governments, and public agencies remain places of safety and support, rather than agents of the federal administration’s campaign of fear and intimidation.
“My office is proud to stand up for immigrant New Yorkers and prepared to hold anyone who violates our laws accountable,” she added.
Hochul said: “Nobody is above the law. In New York, we will not tolerate the diversion of local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement at the expense of public safety.
“That is why we passed a commonsense set of laws standing up against federal overreach and ensuring that local law enforcement is not deputized by the highest funded law enforcement agency in the country,” she said. “My top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe. Ensuring our law enforcement remains focused on local crimes is essential to protecting our communities and maintaining public safety.”
The letters notified the 12 local New York law enforcement agencies with existing agreements that New York law now prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies from participating in any formal or informal agreement and using correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, and facilities for youth to house federal civil immigration detainees.
