Fact-checking Hochul-Blakeman NY gov debate: ICE, gas wells, and fired corrections officers

Democratic Gov.Kathy Hochul and GOP Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman traded fierce accusations and nuanced claims during Tuesday night’s hour-long debate hosted by Spectrum News NY1.The rivals sparred over immigration, sexual assault laws, taxes, crime, energy and New York’s business climate.Below, The Post breaks down some of the most notable allegations by each candidate.The claim: Hochul alleges agreements between municipalities and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) permit “rogue agents roaming the streets”This comment came while Hochul was attacking Blakeman over Nassau County’s so-called 287(g) agreement with the feds, referring to the relevant section of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.Our verdict: Mostly false.

Nassau County’s deal with ICE allowed county cops to operate as deputized federal agents to enforce immigration crimes before Hochul enacted sanctuary legislation earlier this year.Nearly a dozen other localities in the state have a working relationship with ICE, but their activities are strictly limited to allowing correctional facilities to run detainee names through a federal database.The claim: The 2,000 corrections officers Hochul fired during last year’s strike were conducting an illegal work stoppageResponding to a question about her handling of a staffing crisis in the state prison system, Hochul said she would “sure as hell fire them” again if faced with thousands of workers walking off the job.“They walked out the door and shut it,” said the governor, later adding: “You violated the law.

Shame on you.”Our verdict: Half-true.While public sector unions in New York are barred by the Taylor Law from striking while they have a contract in place, many of the corrections officers Hochul fired were never supposed to be dismissed and ultimately got their jobs back.Of the 2,000 guards shown the door, 848 had been rehired as of November 2025, a Department of Corrections and ...