Res. No. 1188
Resolution calling on the New York State Senate to pass, the New York State Assembly to introduce and pass a companion bill, and the Governor to sign S.8539 and its companion bill, to establish the New York State ICE-free zones act
By Council Member Cabán
Whereas, Scenes of immigration enforcement agents tearing through cities and towns across the United States are commonplace since the Trump Administration’s second term began in January 2025; and
Whereas, In Los Angeles, immigration raids of car washes, outside of Home Depot stores, and near schools and workplaces have traumatized residents; and
Whereas, In Charlotte, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enacted “Operation ‘Charlotte’s Web’” which as described by North Carolina’s Governor Josh Stein is “masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars, targeting American citizens based on their skin color, racially profiling and picking up random people in parking lots”; and
Whereas, Both social and economic life were disrupted by the raids in Charlotte, and more than 425 people were arrested; and
Whereas, According to Axios Charlotte, DHS has not yet released the names and criminal records of the majority of the arrests made; and
Whereas, In Chicago, the rampant, militaristic immigration raids have negatively impacted communities across the city and federal agents have acted with impunity; and
Whereas, Documents from the Department of Justice show 97% of the 614 immigrants swept up in Chicago’s recent immigration raid had no criminal record; and
Whereas, In a statement before House Committee on Homeland Security Democrats, National Immigrant Justice Center testified that United States citizens have also been swept up in the immigration raids; and
Whereas, In an article from The Independent, it was reported that school attendance plummeted following the Chicago immigration raids; and
Whereas, On a busy Chicago street near an elementary school and grocery store, a resident recorded a federal agent throwing a tear gas canister from their SUV window; and
Whereas, In a supposedly targeted operation, heavily armed immigration agents stormed a Chicago apartment building, with agents rappelling from a Black Hawk helicopter to enter private apartments; and
Whereas, However, only some of the immigrants arrested had criminal histories and apartments of dozens of United States citizens were targeted and their occupants detained; and
Whereas, In response to the malicious actions, sharp escalation, and aggressive show of force from federal immigration agents in Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson established the “Protecting Chicago” Executive Order (EO) which included making know your rights information readily available to all residents and directing coordination among city agencies and community partners; and
Whereas, Following reports of federal immigration agents utilizing Chicago Public Schools’ parking lots and a City-owned parking lot as staging areas for their operations, the “Protecting Chicago” EO was expanded to encompass an “ICE Free Zone” EO; and
Whereas, The “ICE Free Zone” EO prohibits federal immigration agents from using City-owned property for any civil immigration enforcement in Chicago; and
Whereas, City properties also must exhibit clear signage indicating that civil immigration enforcement actions, such as staging, processing, and maintaining an operations base, are not permitted in that area; and
Whereas, New York is expecting a ramping up of immigration operations, such as the Canal Street raid that resulted in the detention of multiple street vendors; and
Whereas, The City also reported that smaller civil immigration enforcement actions targeting specific neighborhoods are already becoming more commonplace, notably in Bensonhurst, Sunset Park, Bushwick, Corona, and Washington Heights; and
Whereas, It is imperative that New York bolsters protections against abusive practices from federal immigration agents, especially as it pertains to civil immigration enforcement; and
Whereas, Although New York City limits access to non-public areas of city property and restricts the use of city property for immigration enforcement, New York State does not have these limitations; and
Whereas, Under the Protect Our Courts Act, New York State prohibits civil arrests in New York courthouses, except in cases pursuant to a judicial warrant or order authorizing arrests, but more protections are needed to limit the use of all state property for civil immigration enforcement; and
Whereas, S.8539, introduced by Senator Jessica Ramos, seeks to establish the New York State ICE-free zones act; and
Whereas, The New York State ICE-free zones act would prohibit the use of any state or municipal property for immigration enforcement activity, unless conducted with a valid judicial warrant; and
Whereas, The New York State ICE-free zones act would also require officials to post designated signs at state and municipal building entrances and public areas indicating the property is publicly owned and may not be used for civil immigration enforcement without a valid judicial warrant; and
Whereas, Over the last year, federal immigration agents have terrorized immigrant communities, acted rashly with violence and seemingly with impunity, and have swept immigrants and United States citizens into the immigration dragnet without discretion; and
Whereas, New York State should not allow federal immigrant agents to utilize their property to discriminate and assault hardworking New Yorkers, and should display signage indicating the prohibition of civil immigration actions on state property; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Senate to pass, the New York State Assembly to introduce and pass a companion bill, and the Governor to sign S.8539 and its companion bill, to establish the New York State ICE-free zones act.
LS #20657
12/9/2025
RLB