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Residents urge Cayuga County Legislature to adopt non-cooperation stance on certain federal immigration actions
Summary
Multiple public commenters urged the legislature to adopt a resolution limiting county cooperation with federal immigration enforcement following a recent ICE action. Speakers stressed due process, family impacts and prosecutorial discretion.
Several residents and community members used the public-comment period to urge the Cayuga County Legislature to adopt a non-cooperation resolution covering local employees and county facilities when federal immigration enforcement does not follow due process.
Rebecca Rubbles of Ledyard told legislators she wanted a "resolution of non cooperation with any government agent who does not abide by the rule of law," describing the request as rooted in due-process concerns following a local ICE action. Andrew Simkin of Poplar Ridge, who identified a 25-year career with the U.S. Department of State, said the government has legitimate borders but added: "When federal authorities turn out to be targeting law abiding, hardworking, longtime members of our community solely based on having entered the country without permission long ago, We should not cooperate." Auburn resident Kate LeBlanc said she feared the county would be known for a lack of due process and urged legislators: "I urge you to please be on the right side of history and, sign the resolution of not cooperation with ICE."
Speakers said their goals were not partisan but focused on ensuring county practice preserves access to counsel, voluntary consent for interviews, and nondiscrimination in stops or detainers. The public-comment requests referenced policies that would limit county employees' use of county resources to investigate or detain individuals based on immigration status unless required by law or court order.
Outcome: these were public comments. The transcript records the speakers and their requests; there was no record in the public-comment segment of a formal resolution being introduced or passed at this meeting on those precise terms.
