Southold immigration policy debate focuses on police presence, communication

Southold Town’s proposed response to federal immigration enforcement actions is beginning to take shape, with officials weighing public safety and communication as key considerations.

The town board met for a discussion on the topic Tuesday, six days after residents packed a meeting urging the board to adopt a version of legislation proposed by OLA, a Latino advocacy nonprofit.

Tuesday’s deliberations focused on immediate response protocols, transparency and ongoing oversight as the police chief offered more details into what a response would look like in future scenarios.

Last week, Police Chief Steven Grattan said he was drafting a procedure requiring Southold officers to respond to reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in town as a peacekeeping measure.

Southold formed a task force to explore its response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a Feb. 4 immigration raid in Greenport during which three people without criminal records were arrested. Across Southold, there were eight immigration arrests between July 26 of last year and Feb. 5, all in Greenport, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data.

Councilwoman Alexa Suess, of Greenport, said having a policy directing officers to respond to those scenes is “crucial” and should be formalized. “They’re there as a calming measure,” she said. “They’re there to neither obstruct nor assist.”

Grattan said Tuesday his policy gives officers guidance on responding to potentially volatile situations.

“This procedure directs our officers to be present and to assist with peacekeeping efforts,” he said.

For example, if bystanders are gathering at the scene of an ICE arrest, the policy directs officers to “monitor and prepare to de-escalate” and restore order, according to a portion of the policy Grattan read aloud Tuesday.

A Southold task force proposal also includes requirements to notify town and village leaders, schools, hospitals and members of the public. Supporters of the law said it would lead to more accountability and public safety, though opponents argued it could expose the town to litigation.

Creating a formal communication chain when ICE activity is reported was another focus of Tuesday’s debate.

Town officials agreed that information should be shared in a timely fashion, but want to avoid spreading unverified reports.

Supervisor Al Krupski Jr. said he received a call last winter about immigration agents reportedly parked at the Greenport school and went there to investigate. The report was unfounded.

“We want it to be verified. We don’t want to send schools into a panic or the hospital into a panic,” he said.

Councilwoman Anne Smith, a former school superintendent, said keeping schools informed is critical. Reports of ICE agents nearby may trigger internal school policies, such as not letting older students leave campus for lunch.

Grattan said while police already have protocols for “major incident” notifications, he wants more time to think about when information should be shared.

“I’d be concerned about notifying the school, who was going to go into lockout ... when we don’t actually have anything and confirm that nothing occurred. But now kids are panicked; parents are upset,” he said.

Krupski said the town has taken the matter “very seriously” and was impacted by hearing testimony from the public last week.

“I heard things I never would have heard otherwise,” he said. “We’re trying to work closely with police to make sure we’re going to be as thoughtful about this as possible.”

He asked the town attorney to work on a draft communications response policy. The town board will reconvene on Tuesday to continue discussing the proposal.

Newsday's Anastasia Valeeva contributed to this story.