Goldman to ICE: You Are Not Immune From Prosecution
Congressman demands NYPD crack down on rogue federal agents—no immunity, no exceptions.
WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) sent a blistering letter to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, urging strict enforcement of state and local laws against DHS agents, especially ICE, who overstep their authority through unlawful arrests, violent detentions, or other illegal conduct.
Goldman’s letter sharply condemned “outrageous and unlawful conduct” by DHS officers—particularly ICE and Border Patrol—in New York City and nationwide, citing credible reports and video footage of agents violently arresting U.S. citizens and lawfully residing immigrants. He cited multiple cases where ICE officers forcibly detained Americans and, in some instances, unlawfully deported them—plain violations of constitutional rights.
“ICE’s own policy makes clear agents cannot assert civil immigration enforcement authority over U.S. citizens,” Goldman wrote. “Yet, under the Trump administration, there have been dozens of credible reports—some recorded on video—showing the agency doing exactly that, with violence and impunity.”
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Goldman’s letter calls for NYPD officers to be trained and equipped to arrest and prosecute federal agents who break state laws, emphasizing a crucial legal reality: federal officers, including ICE agents, are not immune from prosecution when they break the law.
While some have argued that ICE agents cannot be held accountable under state law, that the Supremacy Clause or qualified immunity put them above prosecution, Goldman decisively rejects this myth.
Truth be told: Immunity doctrines strictly protect lawful acts within an officer’s official duties; but those protections vanish when agents exceed their legal authority. Ultra vires (beyond authority) or unconstitutional acts are not shielded. ICE officers who unlawfully arrest, assault, or detain are no different than anyone else. In fact, they’re subject to New York’s criminal statutes, including serious charges like felony assault.
Goldman hammers home the point: No badge grants impunity. If federal agents break state law, they face arrest and prosecution, just as any ordinary citizen would. The Supreme Court and federal courts have repeatedly affirmed: immunity applies only to lawful acts, not to abuses of power or violations of constitutional and statutory rights.
With what he called the Trump administration’s “failure of federal oversight,” Goldman insisted the NYPD must intervene and uphold the rule of law—even against federal agents. “No person, regardless of their badge, should be permitted to assault or unlawfully detain any New Yorker without facing consequences,” Goldman wrote.
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The letter signals another flashpoint in the dramatic escalation of city resistance against ICE, as Goldman called for immediate training and guidance for NYPD officers ahead of any future ICE operations in New York City. He ended by demanding a prompt reply from Tisch and reaffirming the city’s duty to protect its residents from unlawful federal enforcement tactics.
DIG DEEPER —
ICE Agents Can Now Be Arrested in Chicago
A FEDERAL JUDGE IN CHICAGO RULED last Wednesday that starting this week ICE agents can now face arrest and contempt proceedings if they conduct unlawful, warrantless arrests, marking a dramatic shift…
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Great! I hope they are caught and prosecuted and jailed !
I very much appreciate your coverage! Thank you.