Tipsheet

Kathy Hochul Just Launched a New War on ICE

New York’s radical Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that she would move forward with implementing new regulations that would place a ban on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wearing face coverings while conducting operations in the state, as well as an entire slate of changes to "protect New Yorkers against ICE."

The new requirements will prohibit state, local, and federal agents from wearing face coverings while conducting their duties. Carve outs have been made for sunglasses, "necessary tactical equipment,” and medical masks. The state has also prohibited any state or local agency from working with federal agents for immigration enforcement, and has created a pipeline for New Yorkers to launch lawsuits for perceived civil rights infractions.

Her announcement comes just one day after a violent rioter in Newark, New Jersey threatened to murder an ICE agent and his family, saying “I have your face…your whole f*****g family is dead.”

The state of California made a similar attempt earlier this year, but was thwarted by a federal judge who stated that the new law was unconstitutional. California allows law enforcement agencies working at the state level to use face concealment while working in public, a legal challenge that New York made sure to close.

State legislators then launched a second effort to require masked agents to identify themselves, but the 9th Circuit Court likewise rejected the requirement as unconstitutional.

Any attempt by New York to implement similar measures will likely be met with the same fate.