By Hank Russell
Reports have surfaced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is setting up shop in Nassau County. This has also led to speculation of a possible surge here on Long Island and stoked the ire of local elected officials who do not want to see ICE in their respective districts.
According to The Long Island Press, ICE rented out space at a Woodbury office complex that would house up to 40 attorneys.
U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) issued a video statement, according to the Press. “We saw what happened in Minneapolis and Chicago and Los Angeles, and we don’t want that happening here on Long Island,” he said.
The Press also reported that Suozzi wrote Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a letter as to why ICE is in Woodbury, but did not hear back. “Transparency and good-faith engagement between federal, state and local officials are essential to building trust and preventing the chaos and uncertainty we’ve seen elsewhere in this country,” he wrote.
However, Suozzi said he was pleased to know the office space will not be used as a detention center, according to the Press.
Upon learning of ICE setting up a location in Woodbury, Nassau County Legislator Arnold Drucker (D-Plainview) said in a video statement that it “has horrified, dismayed and angered me to my very core. … Not only is the escalation of this vindictive campaign deeply cruel, it is totally unnecessary.”
Drucker also said he was “appalled” by President Donald Trump and his supporters’ “unrelenting efforts to inflict terror in Nassau County and across our nation.”
“They’re choosing to set up shop in our community, where it is neither warranted nor invited,” Drucker said, adding it “indicates an effort at ramping up their offensive campaign of chaos and sowing fear here on Long Island.”
Long Island Life & Politics has reached out to County Executive Bruce Blakeman, but did not hear back as of press time.
LILP also reached out to ICE. An agency spokesperson said it will not confirm office locations “as our officers are facing a coordinated campaign of violence against them, including an 8,000% increase in death threats against them and a 1,300% increase in assaults against them. Is it really news that when a federal agency hires more personnel that they need more space? Thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country. That’s a 120% increase in our workforce.”
“It is absolutely remarkable that we have elected officials who swore to uphold our laws and constitution, actively fighting against ICE officials enforcing our immigration laws,” said Steve Levy of Common Sense Strategies. “They are, in essence, advocates for open borders when they fight enforcement.”