Madison County Sheriff Says He Will End ICE Contract but Keep Detainer Calls

Sheriff Todd Hood will terminate Madison County’s 287(g) agreement with ICE as ordered by New York’s new law, yet he plans to continue notifying ICE about inmates with immigration detainers.

New York’s Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, enacted by Governor Kathy Hochul on May 27, bars state and local agencies from civil immigration enforcement through 287(g) agreements, making existing contracts void on August 25. Attorney General Letitia James issued a formal notice on July 24 demanding Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood’s office terminate its ICE agreement and report compliance by August 14. Hood responded that while he will dissolve the contract, his deputies will continue to contact ICE when inmates in his jail are subject to immigration detainers, a practice he has followed for seven cases since September 2025 involving offenses such as rape and robbery.

He argues that notifying federal authorities does not disrupt local policing and can prevent riskier arrests in the community. The state may pursue legal action, asserting that the law intends to keep local jails separate from federal immigration enforcement, while Hood maintains that inter-agency communication is a core law-enforcement function. The conflict sets the stage for a federal court battle over state versus federal authority in immigration matters.