Will Long Island ICE raids, deportations fire up local voters?

Daily Point

Back-to-school ICE issue builds as LI races heat up

Democratic leaders on Long Island have begun blasting what they see as the performative and intimidating nature of federal ICE operations on Long Island — while taking care to exempt from criticism enforcement actions against gang members and criminals.

Eight weeks before Election Day, it is difficult to predict how ongoing furtive raids by masked federal agents — and methods of processing detainees that can lead to deportation — will be assessed by voters electing local and county officials who don’t control ICE strategies in their communities.

Last week, ICE’s presence around schools in Brentwood and Hempstead upset residents sending children to class for the new term, a factor that some school officials believe suppressed attendance.

"The actions of ICE agents outside Long Island schools are beyond unacceptable, they are an assault on our values as Americans and as a community," said state and Nassau County Democratic Committee chairman Jay Jacobs, in a statement issued Tuesday. "No child should walk into a classroom fearful that their family could be torn apart by masked agents waiting nearby. That is not safety, it is cruelty," he said in part.

Rich Schaffer, the Suffolk Democratic chairman, told The Point he agreed with Jacobs’ full statement, which said: "This is not a Democratic or Republican issue, it's a matter of liberty, justice and basic human decency."

Also Tuesday, after days of fear and concern expressed in public forums, authorities said Jamie Manual Perez Perez, 42, an alleged MS-13 associate, was arrested in Brentwood last Wednesday — and had been "living just steps from" a middle school in the community. Living in the United States illegally, he’s allegedly wanted in his home country of El Salvador for aggravated extortion.

ICE did not say where Perez Perez was arrested, only that it was after a vehicle stop, Newsday reports. Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood) said he received calls on Wednesday from people saying ICE was randomly pulling over motorists to check immigration status.

But it’s only in Nassau where cops are deputized for ICE operations and where Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman faces reelection on Nov. 4 as a potential prelude to running for governor. Blakeman, a promoter of President Donald Trump, has insisted for months that "the program is not intended to go into schools unless there’s a danger."

Opposing Blakeman on the ballot is underdog Democratic Legis. Seth Koslow of Merrick, who said in a statement of his own Monday: "Violent criminals who are in our country illegally have no place in our communities, and we should exhaust all resources to remove them.

"However," Koslow said, "ICE's activity this past week — conducted near school grounds, signaling threats to take parents while their children watched or even worse, [while they were] taking students on their way to class are inexcusable."

Less than a year ago, Trump won 51% of the presidential vote in Nassau, and 54% in Suffolk. His repeated assertions that immigrants living in the country illegally are "poisoning the blood of our country" did not blunt that edge or, it seems, hurt fellow Republicans.

The question now is whether his mass deportation drive will retain enthusiasm among GOP voters in other races.

Going into the summer, polls showed disapproval and approval of Trump’s overall immigration approach cutting consistently along partisan lines. Day-to-day events could reinforce or change that.

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

Pencil Point

Deflation

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Final Point

Are Garbarino, LaLota singing in the wind for LI energy?

They’re not quite Simon & Garfunkel, but Long Island Republican Reps. Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota have been "singing from the same sheet music" to convince federal officials Long Island’s wind farms are worthwhile.

Garbarino said, "I don’t think so" when asked by The Point if President Donald Trump’s consistent attacks against the wind energy industry nationwide meant the Island’s three projects — Empire Wind 1, Sunrise Wind and the already completed South Fork Wind — were gone with the wind.

"I think the White House has said they’re doing reviews of all projects," Garbarino said. "It started with Empire and that’s now moving forward."

So, do all Long Island politicians think wind power is good for the region? Depends on which way the political winds are blowing. Nassau Republicans are singing a different tune than fellow party members Garbarino and LaLota.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, along with a host of GOP officials and residents, protested Empire Wind 1 during a news conference in Long Beach in April. In a recent reelection mailer, Blakeman said offshore wind farms "pose huge threats to your neighborhood."

In a joint statement, Nassau Legis. Patrick Mullaney of Long Beach said "relentless community pressure" resulted in Empire Wind being canceled. State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick of Malverne thanked Trump for pulling the plug on Empire.

In a May statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul thanked Trump for saving 1,500 jobs by restarting Empire after "countless conversations" with White House officials.

The headwinds facing the industry are so strong, the White House created a task force of at least 10 federal agencies led by White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, according to a New York Times report.

Does all this leave Long Island’s energy future dangling in the wind?

"This is a lot of jobs and a lot of energy," Garbarino said of Sunrise Wind, adding there is "no place to put a power plant" on Long Island.

Suffolk County municipalities are slated to receive a windfall of money from Sunrise Wind. According to previous reporting by Newsday, a community benefits package of $168.9 million was signed, with Brookhaven Town receiving most of the money. About $136 million will be made in yearly payments of up to $6 million. The deal included $33 million in additional payments for parks and open space and first responders.

As for Trump’s wind energy attacks, Garbarino seemed to suggest the president and his administration aren’t looking to pull the plug on Long Island’s wind farms. Energy and administration officials have "showed us respect" by being on frequent calls with Garbarino and LaLota about the Sunrise and Empire projects.

"I hope it gets to be completed," Garbarino said of Empire Wind 1.

Sunrise Wind is a 924-megawatt wind farm expected to create 800 construction jobs. Empire Wind, which is about 30% completed, is expected to generate 810 megawatts of energy. South Fork Wind, Garbarino said, is producing more electricity — 132 megawatts — than initially expected. Orsted, which owns Sunrise and South Fork, sued the Trump administration last week for stopping Revolution Wind.

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

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