Multiple state lawmakers inspect the Nassau County Jail ahead of termination of ICE contracts
This inspection comes ahead of the Dignity Not Detention Act going into effect on Aug. 25.
Multiple state lawmakers inspected the Nassau County Jail on Friday and got a firsthand look inside.
This inspection comes ahead of the Dignity Not Detention Act going into effect on Aug. 25.
"Dignity Not Detention effectively ends immigration detention in New York state and the ability for state and local government to enter into or even continue existing contracts with ice to hold people in immigration detention," says State Senator for the 18th Senate District Julia Salazar.
"We already have seen many ICE agents in our communities and it's very disheartening that we know that Nassau County is working with ICE," says District 22 Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages.
They visited the jail last year too.
"There were detainees who told us they had little to no access to showers. Some detainees said that they had been detained for more than 72 hours, which was unlawful under and is unlawful under the agreement," says Salazar.
Today, they were inspecting the jail for about an hour. They say they saw noticeable improvements and spoke with officers.
"On a monthly basis, we've seen smaller numbers of immigrant detainees or rather those held in immigration detention here. That is encouraging to me," says Salazar.
The lawmakers did not speak to any immigration detainees during their visit as four detainees left the jail Friday morning but they did get to see where detainees are housed.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman sent News 12 a statement about the visit.
“Because of Nassau County’s cooperation with ICE, over 2000 illegal migrants with criminal records have been removed from our county making the entire region safer," says Blakeman. "New York Democrats need to explain to the victims of attempted murder, rape, robbery and car jacking, why local law enforcement can’t coordinate with ICE in removing these dangerous criminals from our neighborhoods.”
