New City, NY – A contentious immigration bill under consideration in the Rockland County Legislature is igniting fierce debate among local officials and residents. The proposed legislation, titled the Our Safety and Dignity for All Act, seeks to limit the extent to which county agencies and employees can cooperate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), mirroring a similar law passed in Westchester County in 2018.
The initiative, led by Democratic Legislator Beth Davidson, would prohibit county law enforcement and employees from honoring ICE detainers without judicial warrants, notifying ICE about the release of individuals from custody, or sharing immigration status information—except in cases involving criminal investigations.
Davidson, who is also vying for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Congressman Mike Lawler in November, defended the legislation as a matter of community safety and civil rights.
“Our Safety and Dignity for All Act will protect all Rockland residents from (The President’s) rogue ICE agents while complying with judicial warrants and following the law,” Davidson said in a public statement.
Elected Officials Respond
New York State Senator Bill Weber, and Village of Nyack Mayor Joseph Rand were on AM Rockland News this morning, to respond.
NYS Senator Weber: “This Is Radical Pandering”
State Senator Bill Weber criticized the bill as an instance of “radical left-wing pandering,” specifically targeting its sponsor, County Legislator Beth Davidson, who is currently running for Congress. He argued that the proposal was an attempt to import national debates into a suburban setting that values law and order.
“Rockland County is not San Francisco, Minneapolis, or New York City,” Weber asserted. “We are a safe, suburban community, and we want to keep it that way.” He emphasized his support for cooperation between local law enforcement and federal agencies, particularly in cases involving violent or repeat criminal offenders. “It’s a hard no on Rockland being a sanctuary county,” he stated firmly during the broadcast.
Mayor Joseph Rand: “This Is Not Law Enforcement—It’s Abuse”
In contrast, Mayor Joe Rand of Nyack expressed conditional support for the concept behind the legislation, citing recent controversial ICE operations in Minnesota as evidence of systemic abuse rather than legitimate law enforcement activity.
“I support law enforcement,” Rand said, “but ICE, as it’s currently operating, is not law enforcement. They escalate, they intimidate, and they target people without cause.” He accused ICE of employing untrained and unscreened agents who conduct aggressive and discriminatory operations in civilian spaces. “We’ve seen them trolling through Targets and Home Depots, detaining people for having a Spanish accent,” Rand said.
Rand also stated that while he needs to read the full text of the bill from beginning to end, he defended the principle behind it if it was similar to other similar legislation that has begun to be codified in various parts of the United States: “If this legislation prevents that kind of abuse from happening in Rockland, then yes, I support it.” He distinguished his position from accusations of being soft on crime or anti-law enforcement, pointing instead to ICE’s alleged lack of oversight and professionalism.
Both guests are running for election as Senator, New York State’s District 38 – which covers most of Rockland County.
Statements from Elected Officials for Rockland County
Other critics have put statements out to the press that have also swiftly condemned – or supported – the Rockland-based legislation.
Rep. Lawler, whose 17th Congressional District covers all of Rockland County, accused Davidson of “sacrificing public safety for political gain.”
“Beth Davidson is willing to sacrifice the safety of Rockland County residents for the support of far-left radical Democrats she believes can help her win her congressional primary,” Lawler said in a press release. He warned that the law could create legal and bureaucratic hurdles that hinder law enforcement and potentially endanger public safety.
County Executive Ed Day, a Republican and retired NYPD commander, also pledged to veto the bill, calling it “reckless” and asserting that it would effectively turn Rockland into a “sanctuary county.”
“Public safety decisions require experience, deliberation, and respect for the realities faced by law enforcement. This legislation was rushed through and copied word for word from Westchester County by individuals who have never carried a badge or been responsible for public safety operations. That’s not how responsible policy is made and there’s no way I would support it. Ultimately, immigration is a Federal issue and requires a Federal solution.”
“Rockland will not become a sanctuary county under my watch,” Day said.
Despite the opposition, Democrats hold a supermajority in the Rockland County Legislature, granting them the power to override a veto if they remain unified. Davidson’s office clarified that the proposed bill would not shield individuals engaged in criminal conduct and would comply with all judicial orders.
State Senator Bill Weber added to the criticism, challenging his Democratic opponent Joe Rand to publicly disavow the legislation.
“This kind of radical left-wing pandering has no place in our community,” Weber stated.
The debate arrives amid heightened national attention on immigration policy, following recent ICE operations and citizen deaths during protests in Minneapolis.