Daily Point

Back-to-school ICE issue builds as LI races heat up

Democratic leaders on Long Island have begun blasting what they see as the performative and intimidating nature of federal ICE operations on Long Island — while taking care to exempt from criticism enforcement actions against gang members and criminals.

Eight weeks before Election Day, it is difficult to predict how ongoing furtive raids by masked federal agents — and methods of processing detainees that can lead to deportation — will be assessed by voters electing local and county officials who don’t control ICE strategies in their communities.

Last week, ICE’s presence around schools in Brentwood and Hempstead upset residents sending children to class for the new term, a factor that some school officials believe suppress

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