New York Counties Face November 25 ICE Deadline

Counties must end agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act by November 25.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Immigration

Economist-geometric style is not named here; bold flat-color editorial illustration of a plain stone civic building facade with a motionless navy flag, conveying institutional gravity. — New York counties must end their agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement by November 25 under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, and Democrat Aber Kawas won a state Senate seat as the first Palestinian American in the Legislature. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should your county keep its agreements with ICE?

Counties across New York must end their agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement by November 25 under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, which requires them to stop collaborating with ICE on civil immigration issues. Separately, Aber Kawas, a democratic socialist, was elected to New York State Senate District 12 as the first Palestinian American to serve in the New York State Legislature.

Why it matters

The deadline will change how local jails in New York handle civil immigration matters, and detainees have raised concerns about conditions in those facilities. The election of Aber Kawas adds to a midterm cycle that produced several firsts for representation in the state.

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act sets a November 25, 2026 deadline for counties to end ICE agreements, with 10 days remaining from the reporting date. The source does not detail how many counties are affected or what alternatives they will adopt.

The players

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and operating immigration detention, whose agreements with New York counties are being terminated under the state law.

Aber Kawas

A democratic socialist who became the first Palestinian American elected to the New York State Legislature after winning State Senate District 12 in the 2026 midterm elections.

The details

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act requires New York counties to end collaboration with ICE regarding civil immigration issues. Lawyers representing detainees in local jails say their clients have been treated poorly, and detainees may face uncertainty once the law takes effect.

November 25, 2026: Deadline for counties to end ICE agreements under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act.
2026 midterm elections: Aber Kawas elected to represent New York State Senate District 12.
2027: Congressional priorities set following the midterm elections.

Political Context

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act places New York counties in the position of ending cooperation with ICE on civil immigration matters, a direction that opponents have argued affects federal enforcement coordination. The source does not provide the specific arguments raised by dissenting officials or advocacy groups.

New York counties must stop collaborating with ICE on civil immigration issues by November 25, which will change how local jails handle detainees. Residents in affected counties may see differences in how civil immigration cases are processed locally.

The takeaway

Residents who want to follow how their county responds should watch for local announcements ahead of the November 25 deadline, since each county will set its own transition steps. Checking county board meeting agendas can show when those decisions are scheduled.