In East Hampton, where the median property value sits comfortably at $2 million, local officials are working overtime—not to enforce the law, but to reassure wealthy residents that their undocumented housekeepers, landscapers, and nannies won’t be deported.
In a town where the luxurious lifestyles of the rich and famous depend on a workforce that largely consists of illegal immigrants, the fear isn’t crime—it’s losing cheap labor. So, in response to growing concerns over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, East Hampton Village and town leaders held a special community meeting to send a clear message: your undocumented employees are safe here.
Police: No Plans to Work With ICE
Village Police Chief Jeffrey Erickson made it plain that his officers won’t be cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
“If it is an ICE detainer or an administrative warrant, we do not have the authority, we will not hold them,” Erickson assured residents.
Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo echoed that sentiment, telling the board: “I haven’t seen an ICE agent in this town in I can’t tell you how long.”
He then made a dramatic point, gesturing toward his firearm and stating: “People who wear this and put this on don’t interfere with other people who wear this and put this on because then people die.”
Translation? His officers won’t be stepping in front of ICE agents—but they also won’t be actively helping them enforce immigration law, either.
The message was clear: local police in East Hampton won’t be detaining undocumented migrants, even if ICE asks them to.
Residents Relieved That “Vital” Workforce Is Safe
For some East Hampton residents, this was the reassurance they were hoping for.
“I think it’s a very good idea and very helpful considering we have a very large community here, and people rely on them,” said local resident Alex Lovett.
The sentiment was shared by town officials, who are concerned that undocumented residents might fear interacting with police.
“If they’re a victim of a crime, we don’t want them to fear the police,” Erickson explained.
East Hampton Village Trustee and immigration attorney Sandra Melendez further reinforced that residents are under no obligation to cooperate with ICE, reassuring the Latino community that the town’s leadership stands behind them.
“We’re With You,” Say Local Officials
During a two-hour public hearing, Councilwoman Cate Rogers stated that East Hampton will remain vigilant as Trump’s immigration policies unfold.
“The rules are being rewritten by the second,” she warned. “We’re invested. We’re your neighbors, and we’re with you.”
A Stark Contrast to Other Long Island Towns
While East Hampton officials are bending over backward to signal their resistance to federal immigration enforcement, other parts of Long Island are taking a different approach.
Just this week, Nassau County granted its police department authority to work directly with ICE in identifying and arresting criminal illegal immigrants.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman put it bluntly:
“Our detectives will arrest illegal immigrants engaged in criminal activity. We want to make sure these people are locked up and deported.”
“We don’t want illegal immigrants roaming around our community committing crimes. We don’t want them in our community.”
With Trump’s administration ramping up enforcement, a clear divide is forming—some local governments are partnering with ICE to remove criminals, while others, like East Hampton, are doing everything they can to protect their undocumented workforce.
