Monday Headlines: Groundhog Day Edition

Let us hope that we are not about to enter a Groundhog Day loop of our own. If it must, may it be fun, not futile.

For many in New York who have pushed Gov. Hochul for more progressive immigration policy, her recent shift towards seeking an end to local collaboration with immigration enforcement is reason enough to question reality.

The proposed ban on 287g agreements in the state would create a safer environment for undocumented New Yorkers, who’d no longer need to worry about local law enforcement tipping off officers with the Department of Homeland Security that a car carrying a family with different immigration statuses is headed their way or flagging a bus of workers headed for an area farm.

In rural and suburban areas, immigration enforcement may attempt to escalate a simple traffic stop into detention, on top of lying in wait at courthouses. Interacting with law enforcement can change the trajectory of an undocumented New Yorker’s life. Motorists on the Rainbow Bridge in Buffalo are no strangers, as a wrong turn leads to direct confrontation with U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials.

The Trump administration recently rescinded a 2021 memo recommending immigration enforcement avoid operating in or near sensitive areas, which includes transit.

As upstate transportation planners continue to look to maximize transit outside of New York City, it’s worth asking: Will their work dovetail with a new age of resistance against federal immigration policy?

More news:

• The NY Post will literally give anyone a megaphone. In a story about Long Island’s dangerous roads, it quotes a lawyer who argues against writing tickets to reckless drivers because all it will do is make more drivers reach the threshold for a suspended license. Well, what would you prefer — doing no enforcement?
• Transit workers union boss John Samuelsen is on the warpath against Gov. Hochul. (NY Post)
• State lawmakers are looking to remedy a tricky bridge crossing between Buffalo and Canada that often leads to navigation errors, but becomes outright dangerous for undocumented New Yorkers. (BTPM)
• Western New Yorkers will vote in the special election in the 61st state Senate District pitting Jeremy Zellner, the Democrat, against Dan Gagliardo, the Republican. But Erie County Democratic Party Chair and Assembly Member Jonathan Rivera says he’ll run in the June primary for the seat. (The Buffalo News)
• The Long Island Rail Road trains were more punctual in 2025 than in any other year outside of the pandemic. (Newsday)
• Bus stops on Long Island are also looking for someone to clear them, and local officials aren’t always sure who is responsible. (News 12 Long Island)
• Kingston cyclists organized a memorial bike ride Saturday in honor of Alex Pretti, the Minnesota intensive care nurse shot to death by Border Patrol officers. (the Daily Freeman)