A Federal Program Pays New York Police to Help Border Patrol Arrest Immigrants

Since 2009, Operation Stonegarden has channeled tens of millions of federal dollars to New York's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, which has distributed about $30 million to border counties for deputies to run traffic stops and patrol marinas and trails. Sheriff's offices have reported turning at least 24 immigrants over to Border Patrol since 2023, plus another 21 people handed over without a stated reason. Gov. Kathy Hochul has promoted the program's $2.7 million award as counterterrorism funding without mentioning immigration enforcement, and the law she signed banning formal police partnerships left programs like Stonegarden untouched.