By 5 Towns Central Staff

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Aug. 28, 2026)

New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office, accusing it of refusing to comply with a new state law restricting local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Rensselaer County Supreme Court, asks a judge to force Sheriff Kyle Bourgault’s office to terminate its agreement with ICE.

James said local law enforcement agencies are required to follow state law and accused the sheriff’s office of continuing to defy the new restrictions despite being given opportunities to comply.

Bourgault, however, argues that ending the agreement could undermine public safety. He has vowed to continue fighting for the sheriff’s authority to make local decisions and use what he considers lawful tools to protect residents.

The law, which took effect Tuesday, prohibits local police and sheriff’s departments from entering agreements with ICE to assist with federal civil immigration enforcement. Supporters say such arrangements damage trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement and divert resources away from local public safety.

Rensselaer County is among more than a dozen sheriff’s offices challenging the law in federal court. The sheriffs argue that Albany overstepped its authority by restricting independently elected local officials from entering federally authorized agreements.

The dispute has intensified tensions between Gov. Kathy Hochul and law enforcement officials opposed to the measure. Hochul has warned that agencies refusing to comply could face legal action, while James and Hochul have dismissed the sheriffs’ federal lawsuit as without merit.

The federal government has also challenged the law. The Justice Department filed its own lawsuit in June seeking to block the restrictions, but a judge declined to issue an injunction, allowing the law to take effect.

Of the 12 local law enforcement agencies that previously maintained ICE agreements, 11 have informed the attorney general that they intend to comply with the new requirements. Rensselaer County remains the major holdout as its separate federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the law moves forward.