Rensselaer Co Exec supports Trump immigration policy in re-election bid

NORTH GREENBUSH, N.Y. (NEWS10) — "Believe in Steve" is the re-election campaign slogan of Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin. Amongst a long list of next-term ideals, many of them conservative, undocumented immigration under the new Trump administration was a central focus. 

At his re-election announcement in North Greenbush, McLaughlin touted that Rensselaer is the only county with an official agreement to assist ICE under Section 287(g) of the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act.  It allows state and local law enforcement to collaborate with the feds to enforce federal immigration laws.

“If we have arrested someone and they are already in our jail and they are here illegally they're getting run through federal databases to make sure they're not wanted by ICE to make sure they're not MS-13 or Tren de Aragua,” said McLaughlin.

County jails participate in 287g. Head of the jails, Sheriff Kyle Bourgault, doubled down on county efforts to deport certain undocumented immigrants. 

“We're going to do whatever we can to get the criminal illegal immigrants in this country out of our county and all throughout New York State,” Bourgault told NEWS10's Zion Decoteau.

"We make a lot of referrals and we help them build connections throughout the community," said Daniel Butterworth in contrast to McLaughlin and Bourgault. Butterworth is the Executive Director of the refugee and immigrant support services group RISSE, which helps immigrants regardless of their legal status.

“We help them with employment. We won't bring people across the river. We just can't in good conscience," Butterworth added.

Undocumented immigrants face challenges depending on which side of the Hudson River they are living. Albany is a sanctuary city. "I'm a Rensselaer County native and I'm disappointed that my home county's not a safe place for us to be able to send newcomers because of the threat that any traffic stop any interaction with law enforcement could result in deportation,” said Butterworth.

The RISSE director says there are few legal citizenship pathways in the U.S. He conceded, however, that not all immigration restrictions are necessarily bad and he acknowledged that the migrant crisis has been strenuous, but: “welcoming whatever newcomers to our community far exceeds whatever short-term strain there might be on public resources,” Butterworth added. “We're watching the situation very carefully and we're trying to develop plans as best we can in the absence of real policy” he continued.