Scarsdale Village Issues Policy on Immigration Enforcement

The Village of Scarsdale has enacted a general order to clarify police practices regarding immigration enforcement. At the Village Board meeting on February 24, 2026, Mayor Justin Arest announced the policy which ensures that “all residents and members of the Scarsdale community and those who visit and work in the Scarsdale community are treated fairly, with dignity and respect regardless of immigration or citizenship status.”

The policy bars Scarsdale Police from engaging in enforcement of federal immigration law and detaining people solely on the suspicion “that such persons have entered or remained in the United States unlawfully except as provided for herein.”

The policy is now published on the Village website. Read it here;

Here are the Mayor’s comments:

“Immigration enforcement has weighed heavily on communities across the country for some time now, and Scarsdale is no exception. Recent events have brought those concerns into sharper focus, and tonight I want to speak directly to where this village stands.

Let me tell you what we have done and what we are doing. I want to start with something I said at the Stand Up, Stand Together Interfaith Rally on January 28th, because it speaks directly to what follows. I said that our Constitution does not say certain rights belong only to citizens. It says persons. And that everyone who lives here, works here, visits here, or simply passes through is entitled to constitutional protections envisioned by our founders. That principle is not abstract. It is reflected in the policy I am about to describe.

Effective February 20th, the Scarsdale Police Department has issued a General Order on immigration status and enforcement. I want to recognize Chief DelBene for his leadership in developing this policy. It reflects his commitment to operational excellence and his insistence that the department's practices be grounded in strong, clear policy. The board and I have been working with Chief DelBene on these issues for many months, making sure he has the support he needs and looking together at how we can strengthen and clarify the Village’s practices regarding immigration enforcement. This order is the result of that work. It formalizes and strengthens policies that have long reflected how our police department operates. The Village is making this order public, which is not standard practice for internal police orders. As a general matter, the department does not publicly release orders that could reveal sensitive information pertaining to law enforcement, potentially compromising our methods, or jeopardizing the safety of our officers and our community. This order does not fall into that category. It is informative; it speaks to our values; and it does not provide a roadmap for those who would seek to exploit it. Residents deserve to see exactly how their police department handles these matters, and we are glad to share it.

That order will be available on the Scarsdale.gov website tomorrow under SPD News on the Department’s page.

Here is what that policy establishes, clearly and in writing.

-Scarsdale Police Officers do not stop, question, or detain individuals based solely on immigration status.

-We do not honor civil immigration detainers without a judicial warrant, meaning that the department will only honor a warrant signed by a federal judge, and will not honor an administrative document signed by an immigration official.

-We do not allow federal civil immigration authorities access to our facilities or to individuals in our custody for civil immigration enforcement without that same judicial warrant.

-We do not use village resources to build or assist any registry based on race, religion, ethnicity, or national origin.

-And, we do not delay release from custody because of immigration status.

These are not aspirations. This is how the Scarsdale Police Department has been conducting business for years and our policies are being strengthened and memorialized. These orders govern how every officer in this village must act. The order reflects our values as a community as well as our commitment to following the law at every level. Everyone in this community can call on their police department without fear. That is not a political position. That is sound policing.

Our job, as a Village Board and your government, is to govern, and governing can at times mean more than local action. I had the opportunity to speak at length with Assembly Member Amy Paulin recently on this matter. She understands where I stand, where this board stands, and where this community stands in regard to proposed legislation at the state level such as the Bivens Act and Sensitive Location Protection Act. She will continue to be a strong advocate for everyone in our community and will stay in close touch as this issue develops. I have also been in contact with a representative from Governor Hochul's office. In our conversation, I made clear the position of the village and asked to be updated on any developments. State Senator Shelley Mayer knows our position on this matter as well. We are in regular contact, and she hears from us directly. And I am pleased that Congressman George Latimer is with us tonight. George fights for this community every day, in Washington and right here in our district. He knows who we are. He knows what we believe. And there is no better person to have in our corner right now. That is how policy changes at higher levels of government, through consistent, direct engagement with the people who write the laws.

And I want to close by saying this: the residents who have shown up, written letters, and spoken at this podium did so because they care deeply about this community and about all of the people in it. That kind of civic engagement is not new to Scarsdale. This village has a long and proud tradition of residents who volunteer, advocate, and hold their government accountable. That tradition makes us stronger, and it is something to be celebrated. So does a police department that holds itself to the highest standards and a board that is committed to making sure our practices always reflect our values. That is Scarsdale at its best.”

At the Village Board meeting on February 10, 2026, residents Alissa Baum and Myra Saul had requested that the Village “support some commonsense handcuffs on ICE,” as proposed by the Governor. See their comments here.