Officers from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency…ICE…swept into Hampton Bays and Westhampton Beach yesterday, setting upon immigrant laborer gathering spots and several local businesses that employ or are frequented by the undocumented and making several arrests as part of the largest local federal immigration sweep since the start of the second Donald Trump administration. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that on Wednesday morning more than a dozen federal officers arrived in a caravan of what appeared to be their personal cars and mustered at the Hampton Bays Fire Department on Montauk Highway, from where they set out in a fleet of unmarked minivans, SUVs and two large white vans that witnesses to some of the apprehensions said were used like paddy wagons. Immigrant rights activists said that at least four people were arrested in Hampton Bays shortly after the officers fanned out from the firehouse. Arrests were made at the Hampton Bays 7-Eleven, outside the Dunkin’ Donuts and at a Latino-owned deli on Montauk Highway. The federal agents then quickly moved on to Westhampton Beach, where they stopped at the property adjacent to the 7-Eleven on Mill Rd. The agents were also reported to have visited at least two other businesses in Westhampton and made arrests — though the total number of arrests made is not known. Each of the raids yesterday did quickly draw an audience of angry residents — some who just happened upon the agents, others who were drawn there by calls or alerts on apps set up to track where immigration agents are — who took videos and pictures of the officers, the arrests and the aftermath. Many directed harsh — often obscenity laced — invectives toward the officers.

By about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday the federal agents had dispersed, returned to the Hampton Bays Firehouse and retrieved their vehicles and departed.

Minerva Perez said about 40 vehicles were parked at the Hampton Bays firehouse Wednesday morning, including vans that detainees were loaded into.

Southampton Town Police Chief James Kiernan said the town had not been alerted to the federal operation prior to the agents’ arrival and Town Police officers did not participate in any way — though a town officer did respond to the scene of a collision in Westhampton involving an ICE agent to conduct an accident investigation. A Southampton Town officer and detective were seen by witnesses at the scene for nearly an hour.

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Despite bipartisan support to pass a measure extending the length of terms for Suffolk County legislators, pushback has already emerged from Democratic Party leaders, including possible litigation to overturn the voter-approved referendum. Suffolk’s Democratic Party Committee Chairman Rich Schaffer told Newsday Tuesday night he believes the referendum will “be found unconstitutional,” forcing lawmakers to run again in 2026.

The proposition received just over 57% approval, according to unofficial results yesterday from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that voter approval of the referendum allows the legislators elected Tuesday to serve a four-year term. Those who take office Jan. 1 would run for reelection in 2028, however, due to the state shifting local elections to even years. Lawmakers said even-year election was the driving force behind the referendum to avoid three elections in four years.

Jesse Garcia, chairman of the Suffolk County Republican Committee, said he believes the measure will stand up to a legal challenge.

He said the legislation to present the referendum to voters was approved in a bipartisan vote.

Republicans introduced legislation called the Term Limit Preservation Act in June. Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine signed the measure into law this past July.

Several experts Newsday interviewed recently questioned the legality of the measure...