Monroe County’s ICE Ties: What We Still Don’t Know

I've been unable to get straight answers on some important questions.

President Trump’s border czar spoke at the National Sheriffs Association last month with a clear request. “The sheriffs in the room, we need your bed space,” Tom Homan told the crowd, which applauded repeatedly throughout his remarks.

Sheriffs across the country—and in New York State—vary in how closely they collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These relationships are under increased scrutiny as Trump prepares for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

We need to understand what immigration enforcement activities Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter is currently participating in—and what he is willing to do in the future. Frustrated with the current pace of deportations, Trump is desperate to find new groups of immigrants to arrest. Collateral arrests—where law-abiding people are swept up simply because of their immigration status—will inevitably increase. Homan confirmed collateral arrests will happen in his remarks to the sheriffs.

While many of us support the deportation of violent criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers, Trump’s approach goes much further. His strategy will break up families, target hardworking people, and deport individuals who have known no home but the United States. Worse, many immigrants caught in this system are denied due process, facing rushed hearings without legal representation. That was the case for a pregnant woman recently detained at Rochester General Hospital.

Homan made it clear to the Sheriffs he has no issue deporting families, “Just have a U.S. citizen child and you’re immune? That shit ain’t happening.”

If you want to know the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s role in immigration enforcement—good luck getting answers.

Sheriff’s Vague Response

I wrote to Sheriff Baxter asking about the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s relationship with ICE and its role in immigration enforcement.

The Sheriff’s response was carefully worded. The office’s attorney stated that the office follows the New York Attorney General’s guidance, which restricts local law enforcement in enforcing immigration laws. He also confirmed that deputies do not inquire about immigration status during interactions with the public. On the surface, this position appears to make Baxter no different from the Onondaga County Sheriff, who faced backlash for making similar statements.

But when it came to specifics, Baxter left the door open for all manner of cooperation with ICE.

I asked: “Does your office proactively notify ICE of the presence of undocumented individuals in the Monroe County Jail or during encounters on the road?”

His response? “MCSO cooperates and collaborates with State and Federal partners in all enforcement activities that can impact the safety and security of our community.”

What does that mean? At a Monroe County Legislature Ways and Means Committee meeting, I pressed for clarification. Chief Deputy Michael Fowler responded:

“It would be impossible for me to encapsulate all the cooperation that’s conducted on a daily basis with federal partners and state partners. As I stated, that is a daily occurrence in all aspects of law enforcement. It’s a necessity in order to be able to accomplish our mission.”

In other words, no clear answer.

I also asked in my letter: “Will you commit to refusing to detain individuals in the Monroe County Jail who face no criminal charges but are subject to civil deportation actions by ICE?”

This should have been an easy “yes.” Instead, the Sheriff dodged:

“As law enforcement professionals, we do not speculate on hypothetical scenarios. Our responsibility is to enforce the law as directed by applicable statutes, policies, and legal guidance.”

But as we saw with Homan’s request to sheriffs nationwide, this isn’t hypothetical. It’s a real and pressing issue.

And it came up again during committee meetings on Operation Stonegarden.

Operation Stonegarden

Monroe County receives an annual grant from the Department of Homeland Security for Operation Stonegarden, a program designed to fund collaboration between local law enforcement and federal agencies to secure the border. This year, the Sheriff’s Office applied for $152,257 in funding.

Operation Stonegarden has long been controversial. Critics argue it undermines trust between local law enforcement and immigrant communities while diverting resources away from more pressing public safety priorities.

During last week’s Monroe County Legislature Ways and Means and Public Safety committee meetings¹, Sheriff’s officials insisted that local Operation Stonegarden activities rarely involve immigration enforcement. They claimed the program primarily funds patrols of local waterways, which sometimes result in the seizure of illegal guns and narcotics.

But the program’s reach raises concerns. One Arizona border town withdrew from Operation Stonegarden altogether, with its sheriff stating, “It just seemed like the right time to remove my officers from the control of the federal government.” When I asked if Monroe County deputies were under federal control during Operation Stonegarden activities, Chief Deputy Fowler said no.

Yet, transparency was a major issue during these committee meetings. Chief Deputy Fowler told legislators we could not see the grant agreement because it was classified. Nor could we review the report Monroe County is required to submit detailing program outcomes, including metrics for arrests. The only data provided was a broad summary of 2023 activities, showing:

• 1,047 hours worked

• 719 stops conducted

• 638 citations issued

• 1 immigration case reported

This lack of transparency is deeply concerning.

I used the committee meeting as an opportunity to ask: “Are there any contracts between the federal government and Monroe County to detain undocumented immigrants at the Monroe County Jail?”

Republicans immediately called a point of order, insisting my question was irrelevant to Operation Stonegarden funding. But I argued that without access to the agreement, we cannot know whether immigration enforcement is part of these activities—even if the Sheriff’s Office relies on ICE for actual enforcement.

The chair upheld the Republicans’ objection, shutting down the question.

The reality is this: We do not know what agreements the Sheriff currently has with the federal government. And we do not know what he is willing to do in the future.

I have never supported Operation Stonegarden funding, but this year’s vote was the easiest “no” I’ve ever cast on the program. This is not the time for Monroe County to enter agreements with the federal government on border security—especially when we cannot get straight answers about what local law enforcement is doing and willing to do in support of policies that run counter to our values.

1. Watch the February meetings here. My questions start about 28 minutes into the Ways and Means meeting, but Public Safety also discussed the matter.