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Edited by: TJVNews.com
East Hampton’s affluent community is grappling with growing concerns over the fate of undocumented workers who sustain the town’s opulent lifestyle, prompting local officials to publicly clarify that police will not be engaging in federal immigration enforcement. As The New York Post reported on Thursday, government and law enforcement leaders held special meetings to reassure residents that their maids, landscapers, and nannies—many of whom are undocumented immigrants—are not at risk of deportation at the hands of local authorities.
At the heart of the controversy is the fear among East Hampton’s wealthy homeowners—whose median property values hover around $2 million, according to The New York Post—that their domestic workers might be targeted by federal immigration enforcement. However, local officials have firmly stated that this is not the case. East Hampton Village Police Chief Jeffrey Erickson, speaking at a community meeting on Tuesday, emphasized that his department lacks the legal authority to enforce federal immigration law. As The New York Post report recounted, Erickson explicitly stated that his officers would not detain undocumented individuals under an ICE detainer or administrative warrant.
“If it is an ICE detainer or an administrative warrant, we do not have the authority, we will not hold them,” Erickson told a concerned resident, as cited by The New York Post. His remarks were meant to calm anxieties among residents who depend on undocumented labor to maintain their luxurious properties and lifestyles.
Echoing Erickson’s stance, East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo addressed similar concerns at a separate town board meeting. As The New York Post report detailed, Sarlo reassured residents that his department’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities is strictly limited to criminal matters. “I haven’t seen an ICE agent in this town in I can’t tell you how long,” he remarked, further illustrating the limited presence of federal immigration enforcement in the exclusive enclave.
Sarlo also highlighted the dangers of local law enforcement interfering with federal immigration agents. In a dramatic moment, as reported by The New York Post, he pointed to his firearm and remarked, “People who wear this and put this on don’t interfere with other people who wear this and put this on because then people die.” His words called attention to the broader jurisdictional boundaries between local police and federal immigration officers, emphasizing that decisions regarding immigration enforcement lie with attorneys, state policies, and federal agencies—not with East Hampton police officers.
Addressing the community’s anxieties, Sandra Melendez—an East Hampton Village trustee, immigration attorney, and Spanish speaker—spoke directly to those gathered, explaining their legal rights. Melendez stressed that undocumented residents are under no legal obligation to cooperate with ICE. Her comments served as a crucial reminder to the community that they have rights even in the face of increasing federal immigration crackdowns.
East Hampton Councilwoman Cate Rogers echoed these sentiments, vowing that the town’s wealthy and influential residents would continue monitoring the federal government’s enforcement actions. Rogers emphasized that this was just the beginning of an ongoing dialogue. “The rules are being rewritten by the second,” she said, according to the East Hampton Star. “I want to assure everyone that this is the beginning of a conversation. It’s not a one-and-done statement, ‘Okay we did our job let’s move on.’ We’re invested. We’re your neighbors, and we’re with you.”
