REP LAWLER SLAMS BETH DAVIDSON FOR SANCTUARY COUNTY PUSH IN ROCKLAND
January 29, 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: [email protected]
Pearl River, NY – 1/29/2026… Today, following a report from the New York Post, the Lawler for Congress campaign slammed Beth Davidson and Democrats in the Rockland County Legislature for planning to advance the “Immigrant Protection Act”, which aims to turn Rockland County into a sanctuary county for illegal immigrants, putting her congressional ambitions and radical ideology ahead of public safety.
“Make no mistake, Beth Davidson’s public push to have Rockland County adopt the same radical ‘Sanctuary’ policies for illegal immigrants as New York City or Minneapolis can be summed up in one sentence: Beth Davidson is willing to sacrifice the safety of Rockland County residents for the support of far-left radical Democrats she believes can help her win her congressional primary,” stated Congressman Lawler.
County records reveal Davidson’s proposed “Immigrant Protection Act” will closely mirror the sanctuary law passed in other deep blue states, counties, and cities, which prohibits communication and cooperation between federal immigration officials and local law enforcement, and prevents local agencies from honoring detainer requests — even for individuals with serious criminal records — unless narrowly defined conditions are met.
If adopted in Rockland, the bill would:
- Bar county employees and law enforcement from proactively cooperating with ICE, even when dealing with individuals who have prior criminal histories
- Prohibit honoring immigration detainers or providing release notifications, allowing individuals wanted by federal authorities to be released back into the community
- Create additional legal and bureaucratic hurdles that discourage coordination between local law enforcement and federal agencies
- Prioritize immigration status protections over public safety considerations, tying the hands of police officers and corrections officials
“In just the past few years, the Hudson Valley has seen firsthand the consequences of sanctuary city and state policies. Last year, a 15-year-old from Somers was gunned down by an illegal immigrant. The year before, Clarkstown had uncovered flop houses with 20-30 migrants crammed in with dozens of fire safety violations,” said Congressman Mike Lawler.
Earlier this week, Congressman Mike Lawler laid out a clear warning in a New York Times op-ed: America’s immigration system is broken, and sanctuary policies at the state and local level have only made it worse. Lawler argued that restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities undermines public safety, is fueling the chaos, and leaves both communities and migrants vulnerable. He renewed his push for a commonsense, bipartisan immigration solution — one that secures the border, restores law enforcement cooperation, and treats people humanely while upholding the rule of law.
“I’ve been working in Congress, since I was first elected, on serious, bipartisan immigration reform that includes securing the border, restoring cooperation between federal and local law enforcement, and fixing a broken system humanely and responsibly,” Lawler continued. “Sanctuary laws do the opposite. They block cooperation, incentivize exploitation, and risk putting millions in federal public safety and law enforcement funding in jeopardy. Rockland families deserve leaders who prioritize public safety, the rule of law, and accountability. I am calling on every Rockland County legislator to immediately state where they stand on this legislation.”
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