East Hampton Officials Reassure Wealthy Residents:  Undocumented Domestic Workers Won’t Be Deported

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. According to the information contained in The New York Post report, 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. As The New York Post reported, 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.” Her words further reinforced East Hampton’s commitment to providing a safe environment for its undocumented population despite federal pressures.

As The New York Post relayed, Alex Lovett, a resident of East Hampton, welcomed the news, stating, “I think it’s a very good idea and very helpful considering we have a very large community here, and people rely on them.”

Indeed, migrant workers have long been an integral part of East Hampton’s economy and social fabric, playing essential roles in maintaining the homes, gardens, and children of the town’s wealthy elite, according to The New York Post report. The community’s deep dependence on these workers has driven concerns about potential ICE enforcement actions, which, as officials have now made clear, are not a focus of local law enforcement efforts.

Officials have launched a small-scale messaging campaign to emphasize that undocumented individuals should not fear interacting with the police—especially in cases where they are victims of crimes.

In an interview with a local news station, cited by The New York Post, Erickson stated, “If they’re a victim of a crime, we don’t want them to fear the police, we want them to call us so we can protect them.” His statement is part of a broader initiative aimed at strengthening trust between undocumented individuals and local authorities, ensuring that fear of deportation does not deter crime victims from seeking help.

The New York Post report noted that East Hampton’s approach stands in stark contrast to actions taken elsewhere on Long Island, where some authorities have chosen to actively cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. In Nassau County, for example, law enforcement is taking a markedly different stance. Earlier this week, Nassau County police were granted new authority to assist ICE in apprehending criminal migrants under a policy spearheaded by County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

According to The New York Post report, Blakeman announced that ten Nassau County detectives would now be working directly with ICE to target undocumented individuals engaged in criminal activities. “Our detectives will arrest illegal immigrants engaged in criminal activity. We want to make sure these people are locked up and deported,” Blakeman told The New York Post. His administration’s tough-on-immigration stance aligns with the Trump administration’s broader push to enforce stricter deportation policies.

Blakeman did not mince words when describing his position. As The New York Post report recounted, he made it clear that his goal is to remove undocumented individuals with criminal records from Nassau County. “We don’t want illegal immigrants roaming around our community committing crimes. We don’t want them in our community,” he stated, reinforcing the stark policy divergence between East Hampton and Nassau County.

While Nassau County embraces a more aggressive approach to immigration enforcement, East Hampton’s leadership continues to emphasize support and protection for its undocumented residents. As The New York Post report illustrates, the town’s commitment to keeping its police force separate from federal immigration efforts reflects its unique demographic and economic realities. With many undocumented individuals employed as domestic workers, landscapers, and service industry laborers in one of the country’s wealthiest communities, East Hampton officials are prioritizing stability and reassurance over aggressive enforcement.

As the federal government continues to reshape immigration policies, East Hampton’s position remains clear: local law enforcement exists to serve and protect all residents, regardless of immigration status. And as The New York Post report makes evident, this stance is a deliberate effort to preserve trust within the community, ensuring that no one—documented or undocumented—feels unsafe in seeking help from the police.