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Q&A
Council Member Avilés questions DSS on immigration agent protocols in city facilities
1:50:45
·
4 min
Council Member Alexa Avilés engages in a Q&A session with DSS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park regarding the department's protocols for dealing with immigration agents at DSS facilities. The discussion covers the official policy, recent incidents, and specific procedures for handling such situations.
- Park confirms that non-local law enforcement, including immigration agents, are only allowed on-site with a signed judicial warrant.
- The commissioner outlines the step-by-step protocol for when immigration agents attempt to enter a DSS site.
- It's revealed that there have been about six incidents of ICE attempting to enter DSS sites since the change in federal administration, with one resulting in an arrest.
Alexa Avilés
1:50:45
Excuse me.
1:50:48
Just making sure everybody's awake in the chamber.
1:50:50
Thank you chairs.
1:50:52
I'd like a quick follow-up on council member Salam's questioning.
1:50:57
If you could also include how much of those have resulted in disciplinary action, that would be a very helpful data point for that group of questioning.
1:51:12
I'd like to take a quick switch to DSS's protocol around immigration agents that are permitted into DSS facilities.
1:51:28
As you are aware, there was a 25 in February 2025, there was an issue memoed to DSS employees and contracted providers that gave broad discretion and on compliance with federal immigration agents, saying, if at any time you reasonably feel threatened or fear for your safety or the safety of others around you, you should give the officer the information they have asked for or let them enter the site.
1:51:55
Another version of that memo was distributed shortly after without the statement.
1:52:02
Is DSS's position that employees and contracted providers should come under, excuse me, contracted providers should under some circumstances comply with immigration agents even if they don't have a warrant?
Molly Wasow Park
1:52:20
Our position, which Citi's position and we have trained extensively with our shelter providers, is that non local law enforcement are allowed on-site only with a signed judicial warrant.
1:52:33
We have had a relatively small number instances of non local law enforcement coming to DHS shelters.
1:52:41
I am very grateful to the frontline staff who managed those very challenging situations very, very well.
1:52:48
They were in direct contact with DSS legal team, and the policy of access with a warrant only has been thus far implemented very carefully.
Alexa Avilés
1:53:05
Thank you commissioner.
1:53:06
So I was just going to ask if you would just for the record, I know we've had a lot of conversations about this, just briefly walk through the protocol when immigration agents show up to a DSS site.
Stephanie Woodbine
1:53:21
Sure.
Molly Wasow Park
1:53:24
If non local law enforcement, and I'm using that term broadly because it has, we've seen a fairly broad set of law enforcement entities.
1:53:35
We ask for identification.
1:53:39
We then will ask for we typically we're talking about provider staff overwhelmingly.
1:53:45
Our shelters are operated by providers.
1:53:48
Staff are instructed to notify DHS and DSS legal immediately that there is non local law enforcement on-site.
1:53:56
We ask to see a warrant, and law enforcement's not allowed on-site without a warrant.
1:54:06
If they are refusing even to provide identification, at that point the direction is that they should deny access even to entering the building.
1:54:17
We stop the interaction there, and if necessary, the direction is to call 911.
1:54:24
We do not allow anybody on-site into any of our shelters without appropriate identification.
1:54:32
In all instances, we want people to be in communication with DSS and DHS staff and DSS legal.
1:54:38
Again, the frontline staff that have had to confront this very challenging situation have handled things in an exemplary fashion.
1:54:48
Certainly if we do receive a signed judicial warrant, then law enforcement is allowed on-site.
Alexa Avilés
1:54:57
Thank you.
1:54:59
You mentioned there have been a few cases.
1:55:02
Do you know how many specifically there have been of ICE attempting to enter DSS sites since the change in the federal administration this year?
Molly Wasow Park
1:55:13
I want to say it's about six incidents.
1:55:17
Six incidents.
Alexa Avilés
1:55:21
Can you tell us, and you can get back to us, which boroughs those occurred in, and in how many instances they were permitted to enter the location?
Molly Wasow Park
1:55:33
I'll need to get back to you on the borough.
1:55:35
I can tell you there's been one arrest.
Alexa Avilés
1:55:37
Got it.
1:55:38
Thank you so much.
1:55:39
And I think I'm out of town.
1:55:42
Can I have one?
1:55:44
Okay.