Upstate sheriff challenges Governor Hochul's sanctuary law enforcement push

Cattaraugus County Sheriff Eric Butler, a Republican official, took to social media to push back against Governor Kathy Hochul’s effort to force New York counties to abandon 287(g) agreements that let local jails hold ICE detainees. Butler asserted that the governor does not understand the day-to-day realities of his jurisdiction and that state mandates force local governments to shoulder new expenses and policing responsibilities.

He took issue with a spokesperson’s statement that counties refusing the law are not interested in public safety, labeling it as an affront. Butler emphasized that Albany’s policies dictate local practices while expecting taxpayers to fund them, and he promised to keep voicing his opposition. The sanctuary package, passed by a Democrat-controlled legislature, also includes provisions limiting ICE’s presence in local facilities, a move Hochul has highlighted in statewide events. A recent federal ruling partially upheld the ban on 287(g) agreements but struck down another sanctuary provision concerning federal agents’ attire.