Bruce Blakeman on Immigration Policy

Bruce Blakeman

Role at the time: Nassau County Executive and Republican candidate for governor, speaking to reporters before a Trump rally in Syracuse

Statement summary

Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate for New York governor and Nassau County Executive, told reporters before a Trump rally in Syracuse that he was outraged that Gov. Kathy Hochul would take the side of a man he described as a convicted felon, an alleged drug dealer and a gang member who was trying to run down ICE agents. He said the shooting happened only because of Hochul's sanctuary policies and that the man should not have been in the state.

“I'm outraged that Kathy Hochul would take the sides of somebody who was a convicted felon, someone who was an alleged drug dealer, gang member, someone who was trying to run down ICE agents ... It only happened because of Kathy Hochul's sanctuary policies. That guy should not have been in this state. That guy was in this state illegally. He's a convicted felon. He's a drug dealer. He's involved in gang activity, and he went after ICE agents.”