Cooperation beats prohibition when it comes to making you safer
To the Editor:
The Albany County Legislature passed a resolution (29-9 vote) Monday night that instituted a ban on cooperation between all Albany County agencies (especially law enforcement) and federal law enforcement (Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol) [“Editorial: Local police officers have faces, presence, are part of a community,” The Altamont Enterprise, March 2, 2026].
The legislation, Resolution 55, sends a mixed message, banning cooperation on one line and citing incidents where they would cooperate on another line. This approach drives a wedge between local and federal law enforcement and is hardly a prudent path to better public safety.
In many states across the country, local and federal police have worked together to remove violent criminals from their streets. Unfortunately, New York state and Albany County would rather focus on prohibiting cooperation between local and federal agencies instead of working together on a plan to hold criminals accountable.
Millions of immigrants have helped make the United States a better place. No doubt about that. But what about the illegal immigrants who have been violent and often ruthless? The harm they have done to victims and their families is heartbreaking. A stronger focus on capturing the most violent is needed.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has made mistakes. The death of two protestors in Minneapolis was unfortunate. The Secretary of Homeland Security has been removed largely due to how the incidents and their aftermath were handled.
But throwing rocks and ice balls at ICE and Border Patrol officers and smashing police vehicle taillights is no way to resolve differences. Both approaches are wrong. More prisoner exchanges at jails would reduce the street-to-street operations that have proven to be problematic.
Physical assaults on ICE officers jumped more than 1,300 percent last year, vehicular assaults were up 3,200 percent. Irresponsible calls to completely eliminate these agencies are a call for open borders. I was glad to see that extreme position was not in the resolution. The focus overall should be on working together with better cooperation. That's what public safety requires.
The Republican Conference unanimously voted “No” because cooperation beats prohibition when it comes to making you safer.
Mark Grimm
Guilderland
Editor’s note: Mark Grimm is a Republican Albany County legislator, representing District 28, which includes five election districts in the Carman Road area of Guilderland and one election district in South Colonie.
