Police departments in Massachusetts reaffirm commitment to immigrant communities
Some police departments want to reassure immigrant populations that they will not participate in any mass roundups instituted under President-elect Donald Trump. Trump has said he will deport up to 3 million immigrants once he assumes office.
Police in Cambridge, Chelsea, Lawrence, and Boston told the Boston Herald that enforcement of immigration law is a federal issue and that their officers work hard to establish trust with the immigrant community.
“We wouldn’t be part of any effort of any kind of mass roundup,” Lawrence Police Chief Jim Fitzpatrick told the Herald.
Spokesmen for both the Cambridge and Boston police told the publication that their respective departments do not currently conduct immigration-related investigations and that there are no plans to change that practice.
Those stances aren’t limited to police departments in the eastern part of the state. Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said that the city’s policy on federal immigration law enforcement will not change, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
“Policies that make residents of the city fearful to seek help, report crimes, or provide information to the police are not in the best interest of the safety of our community,” he said. “Like other major police departments, including the Massachusetts State Police, the Worcester Police Department does not enforce federal immigration laws.”
In a letter posted on Facebook, Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes said his officers would not be routinely inquiring into the immigration of any person and emphasized that that practice would not change as a result of the recent election. He wrote that the police department will continue to rely on the cooperation of members of the Chelsea community, both documented and undocumented, to keep the city safe:
Assistance from the many various immigrant populations is especially important when an immigrant, whether documented or not, is the victim or witness to a crime. It is absolutely essential that individuals that fall into this class do not feel apprehensive or intimidated in coming forward with the requisite information and general firsthand knowledge that is necessary to aid in investigating a particular crime and holding those responsible accountable for their actions. This type of mutual trust and spirit of cooperation is absolutely crucial in preventing and solving crime incidents, as well as maintaining public order, and the safety and security of our entire community.
While state police told the Herald that troopers can contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel if they come into contact with an undocumented immigrant during an investigation, their spokesman told the newspaper that the law enforcement agency’s mission isn’t to investigate violations of federal immigration law.
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