Groups organize amid nationwide immigration enforcement efforts

MILLERTON — As federal immigration enforcement continues to make national headlines, communities throughout the region are organizing to support immigrants, hoping to mitigate the effects of polarizing tactics. Millerton is home to one such group, which is finding its footing after a failed effort to gain legislative backing from village officials.

Established this spring, the Millerton group has been meeting privately to coordinate support for vulnerable residents. Some have referred to it as the “Millerton Neighbors Network,” though at least one source said the name has not been made official.

Citing concerns about drawing attention, several members declined to speak on the record. Aimee Davis, a North East resident and longtime Millerton massage therapist, agreed to comment. As part of her work with the group, Davis received “Know Your Rights” and rapid-response training from the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, a New York-based organization providing support, resources and advocacy for immigrants throughout Columbia County.

“I can now be a point of contact for businesses or residents who want to know what to do if ICE shows up and they’re nervous about it,” Davis said.

Pushing for local policy

Some founding members were responsible for putting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement on the agenda at two public Village meetings, on May 21 and July 29. They urged the Millerton Village Board to draft a local law limiting police cooperation with ICE and protecting the constitutional rights of immigrants.

Attendance at the July meeting tripled and a divided community of supporters and critics attended to voice their opinions. Ultimately, the Board declined to move forward, citing concerns about losing funding for critical infrastructure projects and pointing to an already robust police policy.

This decision led the advocacy group to question whether the existing policy leaves room for additional protections or clarifications regarding immigrant rights.

Police policies and ICE

The News obtained a full copy of the 93-page Millerton Police Policy, which covers topics like patrol areas, decision-making, chains of command, use of force and use of non-lethal weapons, to name a few. The policy does not explicitly mention immigrants or immigration status.

The closest it comes to the advocacy group’s requests — requiring judicial warrants for ICE collaboration and not proactively sharing immigration data — is a section on racial profiling added in March 2023 and effective May 1, 2023.

“Racial profiling is a practice that offends fundamental principles of our Constitution … The Village of Millerton Police Department has an expressed prohibition against racial and ethnic profiling and is forbidden by all standards set forth by the municipality,” the policy states on page 68.

Redacted arrest records and incident reports from Jan. 1 to July 26, 2025, obtained by The News show that the department collects standard personal information, such as date of birth and address, but does not record immigration status in a way that could be shared with ICE. However, in two separate incidents, under sections labeled “Suspect” and “Missing/Arrested Person,” police captured ethnicity, which was listed as either “Hispanic” or “Not Hispanic.”

In a conversation with The Millerton News in August, Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik said he would not ask to see a judicial warrant before aiding in an arrest spearheaded by ICE.

“It’s their arrest, so to speak, and we would only be there as a supporting and assisting agency. We’re not there to second-guess their policies and procedures.”

He added that federal law supersedes state and local law, and “if ICE calls us for assistance and we are on duty — we are mandated to go.”

While Millerton Police show no sign of updating their policy, other agencies have. Beau Duffy, Executive Director of Public Information for the New York State Police, said they do have a policy on immigration matters.

“The New York State Police do not make referrals to federal authorities, nor do we detain a person or inquire about immigration status based on suspicion of civil immigration violations. Our members would only detain, arrest or make a referral to federal authorities if there was probable cause to believe a person has committed a criminal violation,” Duffy wrote in an email to The News.

The Hudson Police Department and Columbia County Sheriff’s Department have extensive policies, drafted in partnership with the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, that address ICE head-on. The Hudson Police Department policy states that it prioritizes the health, safety and well-being of all community members.

“The Hudson Police Department has long determined that it will give full priority to public safety and justice concerns in preference to rigid enforcement of immigration regulations.” The policy states the department will not engage in certain activities solely to enforce federal immigration laws and will honor limited ICE requests with a judicial warrant, while “protecting the due process rights of persons as to whom federal immigration enforcement requests have been made.”

ICE spotted in Millerton

Some residents disagree with officials’ claims that a “problem does not exist” in Millerton. Speaking anonymously after the July 29 meeting, one witness reported seeing ICE vehicles outside a North Center Street home twice between June and early August. She described black SUVs with tinted windows and officers in black uniforms and duty belts, noting the outfits differed from local police uniforms.

“The officers did take two people from that house and put them into their vehicle. Whether they were released later, I don’t know,” she said.

While anecdotal, such incidents mirror a nationwide spike in enforcement activity. Community members are using training and rapid-response planning to ensure neighbors know their rights and that ICE operates within legal bounds.

Regional and national political debate

The Millerton discussion exists within larger regional and national contexts. As of Sept. 16, Connecticut has banned the use of masks “or other covering that obscures the face” by ICE agents while inside a courthouse. The same policy also prohibits arrests inside the public areas of a courthouse without a judicial warrant.

Connecticut Sen. Stephen Harding, a Republican, has criticized these policies, arguing they put undocumented immigrants — even those accused of crimes — before public safety. He described the state as a “sanctuary” for undocumented residents, saying Democrats have limited cooperation with ICE, even in violent cases.

He called the policy “Unbelievable and out of touch,” adding that “Republicans continue to fight to uphold our immigration laws while demanding safer streets and respect for the taxpayers’ money.”

Looking ahead: Local support networks

The Millerton group follows in the footsteps of similar organizations across the country, including nearby Vecinos Seguros 2 -— which translates to “Safe Neighbors” — in northwest Connecticut. Run by Jill Drew of Sharon, Connecticut, the organization provides training, develops local rapid-response teams, tracks nearby ICE activity and offers support ranging from legal to financial.

“Groups like mine don’t even have a website, and we try to stay under the radar,” Drew said. “At the same time, we want people to know we’re out here so families know there are safe neighbors.”

Last week, Vecinos Seguros 2 held a free public training at the White Hart in Salisbury, Connecticut, focusing on how to respond to ICE operations. The training was led by Berkshire Allies, the community wing of the Berkshire Alliance to Support the Immigrant Community — or BASIC. They shared tips on how to prepare for an ICE interaction, how to spot ICE, how to approach interactions carefully and how to film interactions legally for evidence — not for social media.

These types of local trainings connect like-minded residents, allowing them to feel proactive while potentially improving community safety.

“In this area, it’s hard to get the word out — most folks only hear about things through social media or a poster at the market,” said Aimee Davis of the Millerton group. “Everyone deserves protection, documented or undocumented, if they’re participating positively in the community. Advocating for people’s safety feels so important.”