Skip to content
Criminal Justice New York State Budget Immigration

Immigration Talks Hit Impasse After Hochul’s Latest Proposal

Hochul’s counter would limit informal collusion with ICE only in civil matters.

Liv Veazey and Isabelle Taft   ·   April 29, 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul speaks about immigration legislation at a roundtable with law enforcement leaders on February 9, 2026. | Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

Sign up for Staying Focused, our newsletter keeping readers up to speed on New York politics.

In backroom negotiations over immigration legislation, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed a measure that would ban local law enforcement from sharing information with federal immigration agents in civil cases, two legislators and three advocates who were briefed on the discussions told New York Focus — but would leave cops broad discretion to coordinate with immigration authorities when they suspect criminal activity.

Legislators pushing to expand immigration protections have largely rejected the proposal, said the sources, who were granted anonymity to discuss and share notes from private talks.

The only limitation on information-sharing for criminal matters in the governor’s proposal is to restrict police from providing immigration authorities with information about a witness or victim of a crime, the sources said.

The new proposal came at the tail end of four months of tense negotiations over the governor and legislature’s dueling immigration policy proposals. Legislators have pushed to pass the New York for All Act, an expansive piece of sanctuary legislation, while Hochul has proposed only banning formal partnerships between local police and immigration authorities. Much local collusion with immigration enforcement happens informally, without a written agreement.

By Wednesday, Hochul’s latest counterproposal had been struck from the pending legislation altogether, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations. That could leave the final bill hewing close to Hochul’s original proposal, as the governor pushes to end the negotiations.

“I think that [the governor] is very close to saying pencils down,” one legislator said.

On April 16, the governor proposed a compromise that would require local law enforcement to establish probable cause for a specific suspect before they could share information with federal immigration enforcement. Immigration advocates criticized the proposal, arguing that probable cause was too lenient a threshold.

A few days later, advocates obtained detailed notes of the governor’s newest proposal, which wouldn’t require probable cause. Legislators and advocates worry that the counterproposal is less restrictive than Hochul’s first compromise offer, since it leaves it up to individual officers to decide whether they are investigating a potential crime. Cops may be able to make that determination without establishing probable cause, a concept defined in case law, the advocates said.

“What this means in practice is that anything a police officer does in connection with or in response to a crime — and that could be a misdemeanor — would allow them to actively and affirmatively notify ICE or CBP about the person,” said Yasmine Farhang, executive director of the Immigrant Defense Project. “As long as they can say that they are initiating an investigation of any crime, they can notify ICE and CBP.”

Hochul’s office defended her proposal. “Governor Hochul is committed to keeping New York communities safe, which is why she has proposed a commonsense set of policies to hold ICE accountable while protecting the constitutional rights of every New Yorker,” the office said in a statement. “The Governor remains focused on working with the legislature to keep federal overreach out of New York and any changes to the proposal have come as a direct result of requests from the Legislature.”

Legislators who spoke to New York Focus said they would rather abandon a compromise than sign onto Hochul’s latest proposal. “No one likes it,” one said, expressing dismay at the state of the negotiations. 

“There is no universe in which New York for All, in its current form, is included in the budget. This is as far as she said she’s willing to go.”

Update: April 29, 2026 — This article was updated with a statement from the governor’s office.

BEFORE YOU GO, consider: If not for the article you just read, would the information in it be public?

Or would it remain hidden — buried within the confines of New York’s sprawling criminal-legal apparatus?

I started working at New York Focus in 2022, not long after the outlet launched. Since that time, our reporters and editors have been vigorously scrutinizing every facet of the Empire State’s criminal justice institutions, investigating power players and the impact of policy on state prisons, county jails, and local police and courts — always with an eye toward what it means for people involved in the system.

That system works hard to make those people invisible, and it shields those at the top from scrutiny. And without rigorous, resource-intensive journalism, it would all operate with significantly more impunity.

Only a handful of journalists do this type of work in New York. In the last decades, the number of local news outlets in the state has nearly halved, making our coverage all the more critical. Our criminal justice reporting has been cited in lawsuits, spurred legislation, and led to the rescission of statewide policies. With your help, we can continue to do this work, and go even deeper: We have endless ideas for more ambitious projects and harder hitting investigations. But we need your help.

As a small, nonprofit outlet, we rely on our readers to support our journalism. If you’re able, please consider supporting us with a one-time or monthly gift. We so appreciate your help.

Here’s to a more just, more transparent New York.


Liv covers immigration for New York Focus. She previously reported for Hell Gate, where she wrote about ICE arrests in immigration court, city culture, and the 2025 mayoral election. Before becoming a journalist, she practiced and taught oral history in New York City… more
More by Liv Veazey Signal Email
A photo of Isabelle Taft.
Isabelle Taft covers immigration for New York Focus. She’s also a corps member with Report for America, a national program that places reporters in local newsrooms. She previously covered national news as a fellow at the New York Times, worked on the health… more
More by Isabelle Taft Signal Twitter Email
Also filed in Criminal Justice
The Haggle

In May, state lawmakers passed a $269 billion budget after haggling for months over thousands of line items and policies affecting New Yorkers.

New York Focus
Bill Stalled in Assembly Could Determine Fate of Hundreds of Sexual Assault Cases

The legislation would make it easier for currently and formerly incarcerated people and child victims to sue the state over allegations of past abuse.

Chris Bragg
State Budget Gives Prisons Half-Billion-Dollar Boost While Threatening Oversight Programs

It’s unclear whether the Correctional Association of New York will have to scale back its nascent reform initiatives.

Chris Gelardi
Also filed in New York State
Super PAC Forms to Boost Bruce Blakeman, Hochul’s Republican Challenger

Millions in outside spending was a boon to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2022 opponent, Lee Zeldin, and influenced down-ballot races.

Chris Bragg
Hochul Moves to Protect Horseracing From Casino’s Tax Fight

State leaders are expected to pass a bill that avoids resolving how much Resorts World New York City needs to pay.

Nick Garber
Rochester's Anti-Poverty Portal Struggles to Meet Promise

New York state has pumped millions of taxpayer dollars into an online portal that vowed to make life easier for Rochester’s neediest, but critics say it’s fallen short.

Jie Jenny Zou
Also filed in Budget
New York’s Brand-New Casino Is in a $500M+ Fight With the State

Resorts World is floating legislation to avert more than $500 million in payments to the horseracing industry.

Nick Garber
What’s in the 2026 State Budget? Here’s What To Know.

Our searchable database breaks down the most consequential decisions Albany politicians made on climate, immigration, housing, schools, taxes, and more.

New York Focus
NY Budget Brings Historic Child Care Investments — But Not for Its Workforce

Advocates welcomed the additional funding but said it falls short of need and doesn’t do enough to support workers.

Melissa Manno
Also filed in Immigration
Trump Administration Fires Two More New York City Immigration Judges as New Hires Take the Bench

The Department of Justice has terminated more than 100 immigration judges since last year as it has pressured courts to order more deportations.

Isabelle Taft
Albany Reins in Police Collaboration With ICE but Doesn’t Ban Informal Cooperation

The legislation comes after months of haggling over how best to protect New Yorkers from President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Isabelle Taft
Videos Reignite Fight Over Oswego County Border Patrol Calls

Footage published by New York Focus sparked a debate over deputies’ practice of calling Border Patrol on Spanish-speaking drivers.

Sammy Sussman