President Trump blasts 'radical Democrats' for pulling ICE from Nassau jail

President Donald Trump called out Nassau Democrats during a meeting with conservative leaders at the White House over the decision to remove U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from the county jail.
"I see in Long Island they don't want ICE, the radical Democrats don't want ICE there because they're too good. They're doing too good a job," Trump said. "The really radical Democrats don't want them there because they don't want to do anything to disturb MS-13."
Trump's remarks come after Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced earlier this month that ICE officers would be moved off of the jail's East Meadow property. Curran said she was shocked by the president's comments.
"I was stunned that from the White House, the president of the United States was talking about what's happening in Nassau County on Day 33 of a government shutdown," she said.
Curran said the county isn't cutting ties with ICE, but is rather minimizing the appearance of any impropriety by moving a few field officers from the jail property to an office about a quarter-mile away at Nassau University Medical Center. She said a state Supreme Court ruling led to her decision. The court ruled that it was illegal for ICE to hold prisoners that would otherwise be released.
Law enforcement groups like the Nassau Police Benevolent Association opposed the decision. Its president, James McDermott, issued a statement that said: "I wanted to personally thank President Trump for weighing in on this very important issue and calling out those who want to interfere with the police cooperation with ICE while fighting the violent gang MS-13."
Curran said the county is staying true to its community policing model, building trust in the community while fighting crime.
The ICE officers haven't been moved yet, but Curran said they will soon be moving into an office away from the hospital's patients.