Residents, immigrant advocates urge East Hampton board to adopt public safety and accountability law

A public hearing on a proposed local public safety and accountability law drew dozens of speakers to the East Hampton Town Board meeting on May 7, with a wide majority urging the board to adopt the measure.

Supporters said the law would improve transparency around enforcement actions and restore trust between immigrant residents and local authorities. "Passing this law sends a message that public safety includes everyone," said Karen Sanchez of Ola of Eastern Long Island, who urged the board to act to keep families able to report crimes and seek medical care without fear. Minerva Perez, an organizer with local immigrant-support groups, thanked the board and the police department for collaborating on the draft and asked the board to move the measure forward.

Callers and in-person speakers described personal experience with fear of federal immigration enforcement and argued the proposed law would clarify local procedures and preserve constitutional rights. A caller identifying himself as Jefferson Amado described worry that a parent could be detained while going to work or a child to a doctor, and said that the law was needed to "guarantee peace, safety, and good order in our community." Housing counselors and social workers told the board they have seen families miss medical appointments because of fear.

The hearing also included brief technical suggestions and requests for clarifications. One caller suggested replacing the phrase "databases owned by the town" with "databases operated by the town" to avoid overbroad language. Several callers emphasized the importance of police department buy-in and training as part of implementing the law.

After three hours of public comment, the board moved to close the hearing; the chair said the board intends to bring a resolution to adopt the local law at the next meeting. No formal vote on the ordinance took place on May 7.

The board accepted written materials submitted to the clerk and signaled it would schedule a formal adoption resolution at a future meeting; one board member said the item would be presented for action on the following Tuesday.