Putnam, Dutchess receive warnings from legal group
During an appearance in November on the cable channel Newsmax, Putnam Executive Kevin Byrne emphasized that the county is not a "sanctuary" for undocumented immigrants.
Despite that assertion and the county's passage in 2023 of a resolution declaring it will cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Putnam made a list of "sanctuary strongholds" compiled by America First Legal, a conservative nonprofit founded by Stephen Miller, who will become President-elect Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy on Jan. 20.
America First Legal said it sent letters in December to 249 public officials, including Byrne and Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, warning that "it is a crime to conceal, harbor or shield" undocumented immigrants or prevent federal officers from enforcing immigration law.
"We have identified your jurisdiction as a sanctuary jurisdiction that is violating federal law," the letter reads. "Such lawlessness subjects you and your subordinates to significant risk of criminal and civil liability."
The pressure is expected to increase on local officials when Trump takes office this month and sets about fulfilling a promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants living and working in the U.S. To accomplish that, the administration will likely need help from local authorities, including county sheriffs.
While some outspoken sheriffs are vowing to assist, Rob Milby, the sheriff in upstate Wayne County and a member of the National Sheriffs' Association's border security committee, told News 8 in Rochester in December that discussions with Trump representatives have yet to produce a definitive policy.
"If our [federal] law enforcement brothers and sisters do come into Wayne County and they ask for assistance, immediate assistance, for something that's going on, we're certainly going to respond," he said. "But as far as going out and leading the charge on immigration issues, we don't have any plans to do that."
In Dutchess, Capt. John Watterson, a representative for the Sheriff's Office, said on Tuesday (Jan. 7) that "immigration laws fall under the jurisdiction of federal authorities, and at this time we are not aware of any plans to have the Sheriff's Office become involved in their enforcement."
In Putnam, Byrne's office said on Wednesday (Jan. 8) that the county has "not had any direct communication with the federal government on this issue." On Thursday, Sheriff Kevin McConville said he also had not been contacted by federal authorities "regarding the matter of illegally entered migrants," although the department "has discussed the matter internally." The sheriff said he had no further comment "until such time as we are officially contacted by a federal agency and have the opportunity to thoroughly review any such proposal."
Byrne appeared on Newsmax after an undocumented man from Chile was charged with shooting his girlfriend and her two teenage sons in Somers, killing one of the boys - an incident that America First Legal cited in its letter to Putnam, writing that "your sanctuary policies have had a real impact on your local residents."
During the interview with Newsmax, Bryne mentioned his signing in July 2023 of a resolution declaring Putnam to be a "rule of law" county that works with ICE to "properly identify arrested felons and gang-associated members who are suspected violators of federal immigration law."
The resolution had earlier passed the Legislature by a 7-1 vote, with only Nancy Montgomery, a Democrat who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley, voting no.
"Sanctuary policies, quite frankly, they're stupid," Byrne told Newsmax. "Anything that prevents law enforcement from sharing information with other partners in law enforcement, including federal law enforcement such as ICE, you're limiting our ability to keep our community safe."
On Tuesday, the U.S. House passed, 264-159, a bill vote requiring the det...

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