ROC DSA Steering Committee – August 10, 2026
On August 11, 2026, the Monroe County Legislature will vote whether to accept $161,285 for Operation Stonegarden, a grant funding local law enforcement participation in a federal border security program tied to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Legislators must vote NO. Coordination with the agencies carrying out Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda is complicity.
Operation Stonegarden would increase cooperation and intelligence sharing between local law enforcement and immigration agents, and fund surveillance technology like license plate readers. These are the same agents who are infiltrating our community and deporting our neighbors. We cannot empower them through increased material support and data.
Supporters of this legislation say it’s the same money the County has approved for years. Setting aside whether it was ever appropriate to accept this grant, it is undeniable that this time is different. Removal orders neared 500,000 in 2025, up by more than 56% from the year prior, and more than 65,000 people are currently in ICE detention, the majority of whom have no criminal record. The racial content of Trump’s policies is clear, and the County must refuse to be connected with those responsible for their enactment.
We are disappointed by Democrats who voted this legislation out of committee on July 28. They have had the opportunity to reflect, and we hope they have found the moral courage to vote NO on August 11. We applaud those who have demonstrated commitment to human rights by consistently opposing this legislation.
Opposition to Operation Stonegarden is just the start. ROC DSA calls on our representatives to support policies that ensure all County residents are safe from these anti-immigrant attacks. The County must formally bar cooperation with immigration enforcement, and use our economic leverage to divest from companies supporting Trump’s agenda. Which way, resistance or complicity?