Nassau County has terminated its formal cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under a new state law, County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced on Wednesday, Aug.26, calling the move “one of the saddest days” of his tenure. Blakeman said Nassau complied with the state’s deadline to end the agreements despite his continued opposition to the law, which he called dangerous and said would make the county less safe. “We don’t get to pick and choose the laws that we have to enforce or abide by,” Blakeman said at a news conference in Mineola. “I believe in the rule of law.” Letters obtained Wednesday and addressed to the acting director of ICE, show that both the Nassau County Police Department and Nassau County Sheriff’s Office terminated their 287(g) agreements with ICE effective Aug. 25. The letters, signed by County Attorney Thomas Adams, said the agencies opposed the “forced termination” and reserved the right to reenter agreements with ICE if the state law is determined to be unlawful. Blakeman said the county sent ICE the termination notice at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday, while also complying with a subpoena issued by the state attorney general’s Office of Immigrant Trust. The announcement came a day after about 30 immigrant-rights advocates, labor leaders and elected officials rallied outside Nassau County Police Department headquarters in Mineola, demanding that Blakeman comply with the law. At the Aug. 25 rally, state Assembly Member Michaelle Solages called on Nassau to end its 287(g) agreement. “Communities need to feel safe going to the police, not afraid of them,” Solages said. She said local taxpayer dollars should not be used to carry out the federal government’s immigration agenda and urged Nassau to “follow the law, comply fully, and end its 287(g) agreement, as required.” State Sen. Andrew Gounardes took aim at Blakeman’s “law and order” stance, accusing the county executive of demanding that others follow the law while refusing to follow one he opposes. “What kind of BS is that?” Gounardes said. “You have to follow the law, they have to follow the law, unless it’s a law that they themselves don’t want to follow.” Gounardes said Blakeman was “in violation of state law” if he continued the 287(g) agreements and added: “I know this man thinks he wants to be governor, but I think he needs to go back to school to learn how government actually works.” Jax Gutierrez, a Long Island youth leader with Make the Road Action, spoke about the fear immigration enforcement has created among young people and families. Jax said the new law gives immigrant students greater certainty that ICE cannot enter schools without a judicial warrant and argued that communities are safer when local police are not acting on behalf of ICE. In a written statement, New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman said Nassau and Rensselaer counties “are not above the law.” She accused the counties of prioritizing “fearmongering, political gain, and terrorizing immigrant communities” over public safety and the rule of law. Protesters and speakers gather outside Nassau County police headquarters in Mineola on Aug. 25 to demand Nassau County comply with a new state law banning 287(g) agreements with ICE.Miao Li Read More: Nassau County holds out on ICE ban as rally calls Blakeman to comply While Nassau County will not sue the state, Blakeman said he directed acting Sheriff Robert Matarazzo to join a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by 15 other New York sheriffs challenging the law. The lawsuit seeks to block the state from terminating existing 287(g) agreements and federal housing agreements. The sheriffs argue the law interferes with agreements they entered into with the federal government. The state’s Local Cops, Local Crimes Act prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies from maintaining 287(g) agreements that allow local personnel to assist with federal civil immigration enforcement. Existing agreements were required to end Aug. 25. Blakeman said Nassau will continue working with ICE, but as it does with other federal agencies, including the FBI, ATF and DEA. “We’re going to continue to work with them,” Blakeman said. “But we will adhere to the technicalities of the law.” He said an internal legal memorandum outlines what police can and cannot do under the new law. Officers assigned to work with ICE under the 287(g) agreement will no longer serve in those roles. Blakeman praised Nassau police and corrections officers for their work under the agreement, calling the Police Department a “model of law enforcement professionals in America.” More than 50 uniformed police officers, sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel attended the news conference, filling the room and lining the walls. He also thanked ICE officials, describing the relationship as a partnership in which local and federal authorities worked together without overstepping their bounds. ICE New York City Assistant Field Office Director Bryan Flanagan said ending 287(g) removes what he called a “crucial public safety tool” and could require federal agents to locate individuals later in public settings rather than transferring them from local custody. Blakeman said the end of the agreement was a difficult moment for the county. “This is one of the saddest days of my life as county executive,” he said.