As a police commissioner for the Town of Southold, I feel compelled to speak out against the dangerous escalation of operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law enforcement agencies around the country, and in Suffolk County, as directed by the Trump administration.
Last Tuesday in Riverhead, federal agents reportedly attempted to conduct an enforcement action without notifying the Riverhead Police Department — a departure from long-standing practice. This failure to coordinate not only puts local officers in unnecessary danger, it creates confusion and fear in the broader community, which is already on edge. The use of face masks and tactical gear, and the refusal to provide identification and proof of a judicial warrant — as RiverheadLocal reported was the case in this operation, and is reportedly the case around the county — is another dangerous development.
Although by the end of the day it was confirmed that the individuals were not in fact ICE, that it took Riverhead officials hours to confirm their identity speaks volumes to the dangers of such uncoordinated actions. One can imagine possible scenarios where criminals present themselves as federal agents to kidnap or rob unsuspecting civilians, or cases where local officers respond to a scene where civilians are in a confrontation with masked men in tactical gear and assault weapons without visible official identification. As police commissioners, we regularly discuss the importance of coordinating the activities of the various agencies who respond to crisis situations. On a daily basis, our law enforcement officers are forced to make split-second decisions that have lifelong consequences. We must all do our part to make their job easier and safer.
On Monday, June 9, the Southold Town Police Department reached out to local ICE representatives to request guidance on operations and tactics. As of Friday afternoon, we have yet to receive a response. That kind of silence in the face of direct outreach from local law enforcement is reckless and unacceptable.
I want to be crystal clear: We all fully support the removal of violent criminals from our community. But doing so must never come at the expense of due process, public trust and the rule of law. We must also never accept political violence.
These recent federal operations inflame already volatile situations, erode trust in government, and leave local agencies and governments scrambling to restore order and confidence. They are also not fair to the ICE agents and U.S. military personnel who are good people just trying to do their jobs and are being put in an increasingly dangerous position by a president who seems hell-bent on escalating an already dangerous situation.
Public safety depends on trust. It depends on the belief that law enforcement will uphold the rights of all individuals, follow proper procedures and act with transparency and accountability. These recent actions do the opposite.
I implore our federal partners to return to responsible, collaborative practices that respect both the role of local law enforcement and the civil rights of every person in our community, and I ask my local government colleagues to join me in doing so. As the $60 million civil judgment against Suffolk County for allegedly violating the civil rights of hundreds of immigrants who they held in county jails on ICE detainers during the first Trump administration shows, we can’t simply follow questionable federal legal guidance. We must all do our part to uphold the rule of law, protect the civil rights of all individuals, no matter their immigration status, and reject political violence. It is my firm belief that just as the co-equal branches of government are vital to the strength and longevity of our democracy, so is the active role of local governments in defending the rights of our community and the freedom of our friends and neighbors.
Mr. Doroski, a current member of the Southold Town Board, is running as a Democrat for a seat in the Suffolk County Legislature.