Blakeman, with Trump at Syracuse rally, blasts Hochul over sanctuary state policies day after ICE shooting

SYRACUSE — President Donald Trump joined Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman at a rally in Syracuse on Friday, taking jabs at Gov. Kathy Hochul a day after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and wounded a man driving with his 5-year-old son in his car.

"That never would have happened but for Kathy Hochul's policies that allow illegal migrants with criminal records to prey on the people of our state," Blakeman said. "On Jan. 1, when I'm sworn in as governor, I will have waiting for me on my desk an executive order that says New York is no longer a sanctuary state."

Trump echoed Blakeman's stance on immigration, urging the crowd to cast their ballots for Blakeman, the Republican nominee challenging Hochul, "if you want to stop illegal alien criminals from being released into your community." 

Trump arrived in Syracuse to stump for Blakeman despite low approval numbers across the state, according to recent polls. 

His visit came as protesters descended on lower Manhattan demonstrating against the shooting of Oscar Belgal, 28, a Dominican national, by U.S. Immigration and Customs agents on Thursday in the Marble Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, according to the NYPD. Federal authorities alleged Belgal was associated with the Trinitarios street gang. He was in an SUV with a 5-year-old boy identified as his son when the shooting occurred.

Blakeman spoke for about an hour, discussing topics that went beyond immigration.

His biggest line of applause came when he promised to end the state's pursuit of renewable energy projects.

"When I become governor, that is the end of the green energy scam," he said.

And he promised to slash taxes and utility bills.

"That's how you make it more affordable in New York State," he said.

While affordability has remained a key issue in her campaign, Hochul has also kept immigration enforcement a major talking point heading into November, tying Blakeman to Trump's policies. 

"My MAGA opponent, Bruce Blakeman, is nothing more than Trump's puppet," Hochul said in a recent campaign ad.

"Blakeman and Trump are jacking up families’ costs, terrorizing our communities with masked ICE agents, and gutting our healthcare," said Jay Jacobs, chair of the state and Nassau Democratic Party committees, in a statement. "Trump’s right on one thing: Blakeman is ‘100% MAGA,’ and today that’s on full display for the whole state to see."

In May, Hochul signed a new law that included a provision that banned local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE on civil immigration matters.

Blakeman has been one of the most vocal supporters of the ICE agreements in New York and has regularly blasted Hochul’s support of the law — the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act — which prohibits state and local employees from questioning people solely for immigration purposes, unless they are required to by a federal judicial warrant. It also prohibits government employees from letting ICE agents into schools and other sensitive locations without a judicial warrant.

It does not prevent local law enforcement from working with ICE on criminal matters.

Both the Nassau County police and sheriff's departments had agreements with ICE that began shortly after Trump returned to office last year. The police department deputized 10 detectives to assist ICE with immigration enforcement efforts, and the sheriff's department held thousands of immigrants for ICE at an East Meadow jail.

A group of 15 upstate sheriffs sued the state in federal court, seeking to have the ban on cooperating with ICE overturned. Nassau has yet to join the suit. 

Several thousand Trump supporters filled the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center in downtown Syracuse, a Democrat-controlled city flanked by suburbs that trend Republican. The 22nd Congressional District, which includes Syracuse, has flipped back and forth between the two parties in recent elections and is currently represented by Democrat John Mannion.

Some rallygoers lined up hours before the doors opened at 3 p.m.

Nearly all of the attendees Newsday interviewed said they came to see Trump, who previously stumped for Blakeman in August in Nassau County.

Many of them said they felt compelled to attend because they thought it might be Trump’s last appearance in New York, and they hadn't seen him before. 

Karla Eastman, 58, of Oswego, was unequivocal when asked whether it was Trump or Blakeman that brought her to Syracuse.

"Donald Trump," she said, sporting a matching pink T-shirt and hat with the number 47 emblazoned on both.

Eastman said she didn’t like Hochul, believing she puts undocumented immigrants before New Yorkers.

"I’m not happy with her at all," she said.

John Payne, 58, of Syracuse, was one of the few rallygoers sporting a Blakeman shirt.

"I'm here to support Blakeman also because we need him as a governor, because we just have a failed system here," he said.

Jordan Shay, 28, traveled about two hours from Schuyler County, an area southwest of Syracuse, to see Trump, whom he had never seen in person.

Shay said he was not overly familiar with Blakeman and his policies.

"No, this will be, like, my first time seeing him, meeting and hearing his policies. I'm curious to see that, so when I go vote in November, I'll know what I'm voting for," Shay said of Blakeman.