What to Know
- New York's Westchester County executive signed a law that offers protections to people who immigrated or stayed in the country illegally
- The Immigrant Protection Act, signed to law Tuesday, limits information the county will share with federal immigration authorities
- Critics say the law could hobble law enforcement, but the PBA says it will create a better relationship between the community and police
New York's Westchester County executive has signed a law that offers protections to people who immigrated or stayed in the country illegally.
The Journal News says the Immigrant Protection Act limits information the county will share with federal immigration authorities. It also bars county employees from asking about a person's citizenship in most circumstances.
Critics have said the law signed Tuesday by the Democrat George Latimer could hobble law enforcement.
However, the president of the county's Police Benevolent Association, Michael Hagan, says it will help police by making residents feel more comfortable dealing with officers.
Latimer said the "law does not make Westchester a sanctuary county" instead it is meant to protect "good, honest" individuals, The Journal News reports.
