Letitia James to probe local cops for working with Trump admin, ICE

New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) disfavor for the president and “war against law enforcement” took a new tack, allegedly targeting fed-friendly police.

Amid violent protests in Los Angeles that spread throughout the country in opposition to federal law enforcement, elected officials seemingly positioned themselves above the law, disregarded authority, and cried sanctuary. In the Empire State, where standing orders prohibit local police from taking action against illegal aliens due to their status, James launched a misconduct probe against the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office for cooperating with federal agencies.

Having obtained a June 11 letter penned by the attorney general’s Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office’s Deputy Bureau Chief Lillian Marquez, the New York Post reported Monday the Oswego County Sheriff Don Hilton had been asked to turn over any agreements between his office “concerning the enforcement of federal immigration law” with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“Attorney General is conducting an investigation pursuant to New York Executive Law § 75(3) and has reasonable cause to believe that the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office has information relevant to that investigation,” wrote Marquez who also sought any documents related to ICE detainer requests and investigations or actions regarding people who “allegedly violated immigration law.”

The letter was said to have further sought all communications that took place between employees of the sheriff’s office and federal agencies responsible for immigration enforcement amid President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.

Reacting to the Post’s report, a spokesperson for James’ office claimed the newspaper had “missed important facts” and said, “The Office of the Attorney General does not ‘target’ New York counties for cooperating with the federal government; the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office reviews matters concerning potential violations of New Yorkers’ civil rights.”

“It is wrong to inaccurately speculate about our office’s ongoing work with local law enforcement — especially when coming from extremist politicians with partisan agendas,” added the spokesperson.

Oswego County wasn’t alone in receiving a letter from the attorney general, as the Post also reported that the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office had been sent similar requests earlier in the year, while James herself was under investigation from the Justice Department for alleged mortgage fraud.

“It’s unbelievable. They have so many issues right now in New York City… It has been flooded with illegal immigrants [because of its] sanctuary city policy so that we cannot get these child molesters, get these rapists, get these convicted murderers, get these gang members out of the city,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin on WABC 70 AM’s “Cats & Cosby” show Monday.

“For her to spend her time and resources and New York taxpayer dollars on this is absolutely ridiculous,” continued McLaughlin. “All of this speaks to a broader theme we’ve seen go on with Democrats. So many of them are just rudderless. They don’t have a message, and they’re doubling down on everything that they lost on in 2024 [including] mass illegal immigration.”

Since Sept. 15, 2017, under then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), local law enforcement have been barred by executive order, which was continued under Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), from taking “any police action solely because the person is an undocumented alien.”

Reacting to the Post’s report, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) said, “Kathy Hochul and Tish James’ New York is illegals first, New Yorkers last.”

“This is a continuation of Kathy Hochul and NY Democrats’ war against law enforcement. Just last week, Kathy Hochul embarrassed all New Yorkers when she was unaware of the violent crimes committed by illegals against New Yorkers including being burned alive, raped, and molested,” the congresswoman continued, referencing testimony the governor had given before the House Oversight Committee.

Stefanik assured that she stands behind “President Trump, federal law enforcement, and our County Sheriffs who are working every day to restore law and order in our communities, fulfilling their constitutional oaths.”

Likewise, McLaughlin chided the response from politicians to violent anti-federal law enforcement protests when she told John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby, “We see [California Gov. Gavin Newsom] and [Los Angeles Mayor] Karen Bass continuing to fight for it, saying that they’re not going to end these riots until we stop doing ICE raids, which, of course … we’re not going to stop. And now you’re seeing it with Leticia James.”

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn’t researching current events and their impacts, you’ll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

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