Village will not pursue local ICE law; packed meeting reflects division

MILLERTON — On Tuesday, July 29, the Village of Millerton Board of Trustees held a widely anticipated public meeting to discuss whether to limit cooperation between the Millerton Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The meeting followed a resident-led request to consider a local law aimed at protecting immigrants, including those without legal documentation.

Originally scheduled to be held at the village offices on North Elm Avenue, the meeting was moved last-minute to the NorthEast–Millerton Library Annex to accommodate a crowd of 55 — nearly triple the attendance at the initial discussion in May.

North East resident and Planning Board member Bill Kish, who helped introduce the proposal, described it as a call to “adopt a local law limiting the police department’s involvement with ICE.” He said the aim was not to obstruct federal authorities, but to clarify that local police would not collect immigration status information or detain individuals without a judicial warrant. He argued that such policies would support constitutional protections, public safety and community trust.

Kish also cited a model law published by the New York State Attorney General’s Office that outlines similar measures.

Although the meeting featured robust public input on both sides of the argument — and legal counsel was on-hand to advise — no formal action was taken. Moreover, no written proposal was presented or made available for public review. Even so, the trustees opted to close the matter without pursuing any legislation.

While the meeting was intended to assess the feasibility of a village-specific law — the village spans just over half a square mile — discussion frequently touched on broader national issues and personal narratives.

Of the 55 attendees, 30 addressed the board during the 77-minute session, speaking in turn through a roll-call process. Mayor Jenn Najdek worked to maintain order and civility during what was, at times, an emotionally charged discussion.

In closing remarks, Najdek addressed the room directly. “I’ve thought a tremendous amount about this — even before the very first meeting we had,” she said. “I agree with a lot of the things you all have said. I, for one, do not want to create a problem that doesn’t thoroughly exist here.” She said she did not support drafting or adopting a local law, citing potential unintended negative consequences.

Trustee Matthew Soleau echoed that position, expressing concern that such a law could draw unwanted attention to the village and potentially put vulnerable residents at greater risk. He added that current police policies already reflect the guidance being requested by some residents. “There is a written policy in place for how our officers uphold themselves, and that policy was rewritten a few years ago," Soleau said.

Deputy Mayor Matt Hartzog also cited the recently updated policy. “We made the policies and they’ve been vetted and approved by New York State, so I don’t see any need to change what we have,” Hartzog said. He also expressed his confidence in the Millerton Police Department, noting what he described as positive changes in recent years.

Newly appointed Trustee Katie Cariello offered a more open stance, saying she was “open to looking into our policies and potentially updating them.” While she did not endorse a new law, she suggested it could be useful to formalize current police procedures, which she said already align with legal standards.

Absent from the meeting was Police Chief Joseph Olenik, who had played a central role in the initial May 21 discussion. At that time, Olenik said village police do not initiate immigration enforcement but do cooperate with state and federal authorities when legally required. He did not elaborate on the existing policy or how cooperation would be executed, leaving some uncertainty.

The discussion on ICE cooperation concluded at 7:33 p.m., and the board moved on to other agenda items. While trustees have signaled that the issue is closed for now, the meeting reflected how immigration — often viewed as a national concern — remains a point of passionate debate in small communities like Millerton.

As of press time, requests for a copy of the Millerton Police Department policies referenced during the meeting had not been granted pending Chief Joseph Olenik's return from vacation.