To the Editor:

On March 12, County Legislator Mark Grimm condemned a resolution passed by the Albany County Legislature that bans cooperation between county agencies and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Control [“Cooperation beats prohibition when it comes to making you safer,” letter to the Altamont Enterprise editor], complaining, “[w]hat about the illegal immigrants who have been violent and often ruthless?”

Mr. Grimm later acknowledges that ICE has made mistakes. To minimize ICE’s large-scale profiling as “mistakes” is disingenuous.

In fact, ample evidence has shown that ICE has done little to arrest those who have been violent and often ruthless. The Cato Institute recently reported that, of the people detained by ICE since Oct. 1, 2025, 73 percent had no criminal conviction. Only 5 percent had a violent criminal conviction. CBS News reported that an internal report by the Department of Homeland Security showed that 86 percent of detainees have no violent criminal history.

ICE is not removing “the worst of the worst,” as President Donald Trump promised, nor are they removing the “illegal immigrants who have been violent and often ruthless” whom Mr. Grimm mentioned.

ICE is not making “mistakes.” They are disregarding constitutional rights and engaging in profiling.

Mr. Grimm also stated that “[the] death [sic] of two protesters in Minneapolis was unfortunate.” It is unfortunate if I step in a puddle while wearing sandals.

To describe the deaths of two individuals as “unfortunate” is dismissive. They were individuals who had families and cared about their communities. Their deaths should not be downplayed by anyone, especially an elected official. It is more appropriate to describe their deaths as tragic.

ICE does not make our communities safer, and I applaud the Albany County Legislature for passing the aforementioned resolution [“Albany County won’t aid ICE” The Altamont Enterprise, March 11, 2026].

Jill Loew

Guilderland