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More than 400 demonstrators gathered at Oneonta’s Muller Plaza to protest ICE’s national operations and its agreement with the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office on January 31, 2026. (Photo by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel)

Anti-ICE, Sheriff 287(g) Agreement Protests Continue in Oneonta

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
ONEONTA

At 10℉ and -2℉ wind chill, it wasn’t the ice on the ground that more than 400 demonstrators were protesting at Muller Plaza on Saturday, January 31.

Organized by CooperstownOneonta Indivisible, Butternut Valley Indivisible, and the Otsego County Democratic Committee, local demonstrators again gathered to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions nationwide and a recently-signed Warrant Service Officer agreement between the agency and the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office. The agreement deputizes certain county corrections officers as immigration officers to facilitate the transfer of individuals with immigration warrants to ICE custody at the conclusion of their criminal custody in the county jail.

“You should know, our sheriff,” Virginia Kennedy, the group leader of CooperstownOneonta Indivisible said into a microphone, bundled-up locals in front of her booing Otsego County Sheriff Richard Devlin (R), “has signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE.”

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