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Greenburgh board reviews petition calling for review of ICE and CBP tactics, seeks legal and police guidance
Summary
The town supervisor introduced a draft resolution petitioning the federal government to investigate alleged abusive tactics by ICE and CBP; board members urged consultation with the police chief, town attorney and state representatives before any public action, noting legal limits on municipal authority.
The town supervisor introduced a draft resolution at the Feb. 17 work session asking the U.S. government to conduct an independent review of practices by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that the resolution describes as "abusive" and potentially harmful to residents.
Board members immediately urged caution and recommended consulting the police chief and the town attorney before taking formal action. One member summarized a Scarsdale mayoral response circulated by staff, noting, "Scarsdale has not entered into a federal 287g agreement and I don't believe Greenberg has either," and quoting assurance that local officers are not empowered to act as immigration agents absent an agreement or a judicial warrant.
Members said the board should be careful about asserting local facts in a resolution and about proposing remedies that would be preempted by state or federal law. Several members proposed a stepped approach: (1) ask the police chief and town counsel for a legal and operational assessment; (2) consult with state representatives or invite them to a brief discussion; and (3) revise the resolution language to be explicit about who the petition is addressed to and what actions are requested.
The meeting also raised a separate idea originating from a former planning-board chair: asking the state legislature to define who may be present within a set distance of polling places on election day, limiting presence near polls to local law enforcement unless otherwise authorized. Board members noted that such a restriction would be state-level and suggested the town contact the Board of Elections and state lawmakers for guidance.
No formal vote on the resolution was taken; members asked staff to arrange meetings with the police chief and the town law department and to provide background materials from other municipalities for drafting a refined resolution.
