By Hank Russell
Nassau County legislators formally called on County Executive Bruce Blakeman to immediately pause Nassau County’s participation in its federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) agreement, citing mounting fiscal, legal, and public safety concerns.
In a letter sent Wednesday to the county executive, legislators urged a comprehensive review of the program’s costs, constitutional implications, and impact on community trust before the county continues its cooperation under the agreement, which was entered into last year without legislative approval.
The call for a pause follows the recent death of Santos Banegas Reyes in a Nassau County jail. According to an ICE press release, Banegas Reyes, a Honduran national who was in the country illegally, died at the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow on September 18, 2025 at the age of 42. The preliminary cause of death was liver failure brought on by alcoholism. According to the agency, Banegas Reyes admitted to having a history of alcohol abuse.
But, according to The New York Post, Banegas Reyes’ family denied ICE’s claims that he was an alcoholic and said he was in good health when he was arrested at his construction job. The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said it would investigate how Banegas Reyes died.
Legislators said the circumstances surrounding his death, including conflicting accounts regarding potential alcohol withdrawal and treatment, underscore the County’s potential exposure to costly litigation and liability.
“Any loss of life in our jail is tragic,” the letter states. “It is also potentially costly to Nassau taxpayers.”
The legislators also cited recent reporting that Nassau County’s Probation Department is referring individuals with questionable immigration status to ICE prior to the completion of court-ordered punishment and rehabilitation. According to prosecutors and defense attorneys, this practice may undermine the criminal justice process by discouraging compliance with court appearances and probation requirements.
Beyond legal and procedural concerns, lawmakers emphasized the financial burden of 287(g) programs nationwide.
While the federal government provides training, local governments bear the cost of personnel, overtime, supervision, and related expenses. Initially described as involving ten Nassau Police Detectives, the program now appears to include additional police and probation staff, potentially increasing costs to County taxpayers, the legislators said.
“History shows these agreements shift financial responsibility to local governments while exposing them to liability,” the legislators wrote.
They further warned that entangling local law enforcement in federal civil immigration enforcement may discourage immigrant communities from reporting crimes or cooperating with police investigations, ultimately undermining public safety.
New York State law prohibits local law enforcement from detaining individuals solely for civil immigration violations. Recent court decisions across the country have imposed substantial liability on municipalities for due process and constitutional violations stemming from similar enforcement practices.
Given the legal risks, fiscal uncertainties, and community impact, Legislators argue that prudence demands a pause.
“Before Nassau taxpayers are exposed to further liability and expense, and before community trust is further strained, it is critical that we fully assess the fiscal, law enforcement, and social implications of this agreement,” the letter concludes.
The Legislators are requesting that the County Executive temporarily suspend participation in the 287(g) program pending a full public review.
In response, Blakeman said, “Because of Nassau County’s cooperation with ICE, 2,000 illegal migrants with criminal records have been removed from our county, making it safer. New York Democrats need to explain to the victims of attempted murder, rape, robbery and carjacking why local law enforcement can’t coordinate with ICE in removing these dangerous criminals from our neighborhoods.”