ALBANY – State Assemblywoman Sarahana Shrestha (D, Esopus) and Senator Julia Salazar (R, Brooklyn) have banded together with 63 other lawmakers urging Governor Hochul to issue an executive order to ban the use of local resources like water and sewer systems when ICE wants to convert former warehouses into immigration detention centers.
Their call comes after ICE had considered converting a former warehouse in Chester and is now looking at converting a former warehouse in the Town of Newburgh.
Shrestha said ICE often relies on state and local resources to expand and improve local infrastructure for the benefit of ICE.
“The people who are being kidnapped and harassed at a very blatantly haphazard manner with no regard for due process, and I think the detention centers have been a focus because they are at, sort of the front line, of the capacity ICE needs to carry out this vision,” Shrestha said.
The assemblywoman said instead of waiting for the legislature to return to session in January and pass a law, the governor should sign an executive order immediately blocking the use of local resources for detention centers.
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