Senate approves budget bill with new limits on state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

The New York State Senate on May 20 passed its budget bill, Senate Print 9005C, which includes Part LL placing new limits on how state and local officials may cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

Senator Myrie, the measure’s sponsor, told colleagues the change was intended to protect New Yorkers’ constitutional rights and to make clear that "the federal government has a duty to carry out immigration enforcement" while the state should not be in the business of doing that work for federal agencies. He said the bill does not eliminate all cooperation but targets formal or patterned agreements and civilian cooperation that uses state resources.

Opponents said the language risks impeding public-safety work. Senator Murray described cases in which local cooperation with federal authorities helped apprehend suspects and warned that limiting agreements could make it harder to take dangerous people off the street. She said some county law-enforcement agreements have been instrumental in returning suspects to custody and protecting victims.

Sponsor Myrie responded that the bill exempts information-sharing by local police officers and peace officers and leaves room for "one-off" cooperation when necessary; he also said the measure creates an investigatory Office of Immigration Trust housed within the Attorney General’s office to handle complaints and civil enforcement of the statute. The bill gives the Governor a role in reviewing referrals for alleged state-employee violations so executive corrective action can be taken before a civil enforcement action is filed.

The floor debate also addressed "sensitive locations" such as polling places, schools and hospitals. The sponsor said the bill clarifies what federal agents may do at those locations, and that the legislation preserves judicial-warranted entries.

The measure contains civil remedies in some sections: in certain circumstances, the bill would create a private cause of action for constitutional violations and allow injunctive relief; other sections do not create damages but provide for investigatory and injunctive powers by the new office. The sponsor said the bill does not repeal qualified immunity doctrines and that the intent is accountability, not to subject routine officers to new criminal penalties.

After extended debate and many explanations of vote, the Senate moved the calendar and recorded the result for Calendar 1317. The bill as printed on the supplemental and controversial calendars was approved by the chamber and will proceed according to legislative procedure.

What’s next: the bill takes effect immediately where the text says so; certain program details (for example, the exact procedures and subpoena powers of the new Office of Immigration Trust) will be implemented in rules and by the Attorney General’s office and the Governor’s referral process.

Sources: floor debate on Senate calendar 1317, May 20, 2026, including statements by Senator Myrie (sponsor) and Senator Murray (opponent).