Oswego County Needs a No?Collusion Resolution—For the Safety of Residents and Law Enforcement Alike

Residents across Oswego County have been asking for one simple, reasonable protection: a No?Collusion Resolution that clearly states our local law enforcement will not assist ICE or Border Patrol unless the law requires it or a judge orders it. This is not a radical idea. It is a constitutional one. And it is long overdue.

Community members have shown up again and again—at Legislature meetings, public comment sessions, and rallies—asking for the same basic safeguard that Albany County has already adopted. Yet every attempt has been dismissed, tabled, or ignored. Meanwhile, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Don Hilton, has repeatedly engaged in practices that raise serious legal and ethical concerns. These incidents are not rumors. They are documented by journalists, civil?rights organizations, and residents who have witnessed them firsthand.

To understand why a No?Collusion Resolution is necessary, we must first understand what ICE and Border Patrol are legally allowed to do—and what they are not.

ICE enforces civil immigration law inside the United States. Being undocumented is not a crime; it is a civil violation. ICE can issue detainers, investigate immigration status, and arrest people with deportation orders. But ICE cannot force local police to help them. They cannot detain someone without a judicial warrant. They cannot enter a home without consent or a judge’s signature. And they cannot stop people based on race, language, or appearance.

Border Patrol has authority at the border and within a 100?mile zone from it, which includes parts of New York. But even they cannot compel local police to detain people for them, nor can they search vehicles or private property without legal cause.

Local law enforcement in New York State has no legal obligation to enforce federal immigration law. Courts have repeatedly ruled that ICE detainers are requests, not orders. If a sheriff holds someone past their release time solely for ICE—without a judicial warrant—they risk violating the Fourth Amendment. That means lawsuits. That means liability for the county. And that means personal risk for deputies.

Unfortunately, Oswego County has already seen what happens when these lines are blurred. Under Sheriff Don Hilton, deputies have been documented detaining Spanish?speaking drivers until Border Patrol arrived—even when there was no criminal charge to justify continued detention. Residents have reported traffic stops where immigration questions were asked without cause. In some cases, people were held for extended periods solely because of their language or perceived nationality. These actions are not only morally troubling—they are legally dangerous. They expose the county to lawsuits and violate the constitutional rights of the people who live here.

A No?Collusion Resolution would not prevent ICE or Border Patrol from doing their jobs. It would simply ensure that local law enforcement does not exceed its authority or become entangled in federal civil enforcement. It would protect innocent people from racial profiling. It would prevent families from being torn apart over minor traffic stops. It would encourage victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear. And it would protect deputies from being placed in legally risky situations that could cost them—and the county—dearly.

Oswego County deserves better. Our deputies deserve clear rules that protect them from liability. Our residents deserve policing that is constitutional, fair, and focused on real public safety—not civil immigration enforcement. And our Legislature owes the public more than silence and inaction.

A No?Collusion Resolution is not about politics. It is about the rule of law. It is about protecting the people who live here and the officers who serve them. It is about drawing a clear line between federal responsibilities and local ones. And it is about ensuring that what has already happened in Oswego County does not continue unchecked.

The community has asked for this resolution many times. It is time for the Legislature to finally listen.

Debbie Chambers from Fulton NY.