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City approves Corcoran’s PD immigration policy

The Rye City Council has approved a plan devised by Public Safety Commissioner Michael Corcoran to establish a policy on immigration enforcement for the city Police Department.

After a three-month review of the department conducted by the public safety commissioner, the proposal was approved on July 12 with full support from the City Council.

The policy’s approval comes after members of the City Council were divided on an original plan sponsored by Councilwoman Danielle Tagger-Epstein, a Democrat, which was tabled in April.

“We weren’t quite happy with some of the language in the original proposal, but the public safety commissioner did a very good job creating something that’s enforceable,” said Councilman Richard Mecca, a Republican. “This is a good example of bipartisan work.”

The Rye City Council has approved legislation drafted by Public Safety Commissioner Michael Corcoran to set an immigration enforcement policy for the city Police Department. The plan comes in response to efforts taken by President Donald Trump’s administration to deport undocumented immigrants. File photo

The new plan, which prohibits city police from questioning, interrogating, investigating or arresting any individual based solely on their immigration status or on a detainer request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, and Customs and Border Protection, CBP, includes provisions from the proposal submitted by Tagger-Epstein.

Tagger-Epstein told the Review she is supportive of the plan and Corcoran’s efforts to implement a policy that bodes well for all citizens of the city of Rye and those that pass through.

Corcoran’s policy also includes a measure that allows the Police Department to respond affirmatively to a civil immigration detainer request if it’s followed with a judicial warrant, if there is enough probable cause that the individual is a terrorist, or if the individual has re-entered the country after being deported.

Additionally, it addresses requests for non-public, sensitive information by ICE and CBP. If accompanied by a judicial subpoena or warrant, Corcoran’s policy will allow the department to respond affirmatively to federal requests for information about an individual that includes, but is not limited to, a home or work address.

“I’m pleased with the way [the policy] came out,” said Corcoran, who oversees operations for both the city’s Police and Fire departments. “It really gives a balanced approach to a complicated issue.”

Corcoran was hired away from the West Orange Police Department in New Jersey at the beginning of 2016. Since being named the public safety commissioner at the beginning of this year, Corcoran has been tasked with conducting reviews of both departments.

The public safety commissioner drafted the legislation with the intent to keep it similar to laws already in place by New York state and with guidance from several Westchester County municipalities whose department leaders belong to the county Chiefs of Police Association.

The idea to come up with an immigration policy for the city Police Department came as a direct response to a nationwide effort to deport undocumented immigrants that started at the beginning of the year.

Under Republican President Donald Trump’s administration, ICE has made 21,362 arrests nationwide from Jan. 20 through March 13 of this year, according to the most recent data from the federal agency, which is a 33 percent increase overall in arrests over the same time period last year.

City Attorney Kristin Wilson could not be reached for comment, as of press time.