New York leader pledges more cops, tougher ICE partnership if NYC elects socialist mayor

The top elected official in Nassau County on New York’s Long Island has pledged to hire more police and expand the county’s partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if Zohran Mamdani wins the New York City mayoral race next week.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican known for emphasizing public safety and fiscal restraint, made the pledge to appeal to New York City residents who may consider relocating to Long Island if the Democratic front-runner takes City Hall, Blakeman’s spokesman told the New York Post.

The move is part of Blakeman’s re-election strategy as he faces Democratic challenger Seth Koslow later this month, according to the outlet.

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“In the unfortunate event of a Mamdani win, [Blakeman] will hire more police officers, increase cooperation with [ICE], and actively encourage people and businesses to move to the safest county in America,” Blakeman’s spokesman, Chris Boyle, told the Post.

In February, Blakeman announced that the county would partner with ICE under a formal agreement allowing 10 detectives from the Nassau County Police Department to be “cross-designated” as ICE agents.

The arrangement permits these detectives to assist with immigration enforcement. The announcement also said the county jails would provide temporary detainee space for ICE, local detectives would notify ICE when arrests of undocumented immigrants occur, and they would embed with ICE for targeted operations, according to WABC.

Under the deal, 10 Nassau County detectives have been trained and designated to work with ICE on apprehensions and investigations, and the county has reserved 50 jail cells for ICE to hold detainees for up to 72 hours before deportation or charging.

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Blakeman recently told Fox News Digital that the policies are “massively popular,” including among the county’s Hispanic residents. He said they have been yielding results not only for Nassau County but for the wider region.

Boyle declined to provide further details on how the county would expand its cooperation with ICE, according to the Post.

Koslow has said that if elected, he would terminate the deal — aligning with Democratic policies on immigration.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, has vowed to end New York City’s cooperation with ICE, keep ICE out of city-run facilities and protect immigrant families from federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Blakeman has served as Nassau County executive since 2022. Earlier this year, he spearheaded the passage of legislation banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports at county-owned facilities. A New York appeals court froze the ban earlier this month.

Fox News’ Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.