Hochul on Banning Cooperation Requiring More ICE Agents to Come to NY: ‘Don’t Know’ if They’re ‘Involved in Gang Warfare’

During an interview aired on Tuesday’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) responded to criticisms from the Trump administration that banning police cooperation with ICE will require more ICE agents by stating that “They surround people’s vehicles, wearing masks, bearing guns. Like, we don’t know if these are, like, people involved in gang warfare or not.”

Co-host A Martínez asked, [relevant exchange begins around 2:40] “Now, the Trump administration does not like this bill. A spokesman for Homeland Security told The New York Times that your legislation would require federal agents to have an even more visible presence on the street. How do you respond to that assertion?”

Hochul responded, “Well, why don’t they take off their masks, and we’ll really know who they are? They surround people’s vehicles, wearing masks, bearing guns. Like, we don’t know if these are, like, people involved in gang warfare or not. They need to be under control, and that’s what I’m calling for as well.”

Martínez followed up, “But doesn’t it stand to reason, though, that if ICE isn’t getting cooperation with local police, that they will have to send more ICE agents to try and pick up the slack?”

Hochul answered, “I’m not buying that argument. No, they don’t. Why don’t they focus on what they promised during the election? Remember the phrase, we’re going after the baddest of the bad, the worst of the worst, the murderers, the drug traffickers, the human traffickers. I’ve not seen that when I’m talking to a sixth-grader whose dad was walking down the street in front of a Home Depot, taking his kid out after school. So, they’re not telling the truth. They have deviated from their original mission that I think was part of the election.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett