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Project 2025 is coming and we urge local police to adopt or maintain policies limiting local law enforcement engagement in any federal immigration enforcement. Collaborating with federal agencies such as ICE diverts critical resources away from public safety efforts, erodes trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities and creates fear, which prevents immigrant residents from reporting crimes or seeking police assistance.
Although Mattapoisett’s immigrant population is likely small, policing should focus on protecting all members of our community regardless of immigration status. Engaging in immigration enforcement undermines this goal, fosters distrust and fear among our immigrant residents, making it harder for the police to build partnerships needed to keep our community safe.
When local police participate in federal immigration enforcement efforts, it leads to concerns about racial profiling, violation of constitutional rights and potential costly legal challenges.
Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government, not local police.
Police should adopt policies which bar agreements under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; prohibit inquiries about immigration status or sharing immigration status with federal authorities; and our local police should not honor ICE requests to hold individuals beyond their release date without a warrant.
These acts will strengthen the trust our community places in the police while protecting some of our more vulnerable residents.
We look forward to discussing this issue with our community.
Nicole Demakis is chair of the Mattapoisett Democratic Town Committee.
No local police assistance will be needed, any illegal immigrants being held in county jail will be reported to ICE by the sheriff’s department, and local residents will tip-off ICE with others, what we really don’t want and need are possible criminals hurting Americans, and legal residents, like the woman on the train in NY who was lit on fire while sleeping on the train, or other victims of sexual assault, rape, kidnapping, etcetera., not to mention the $Billions of tax dollars spent on people who are here illegally.
Cool. So can we have local law enforcement also not enforce tax laws too? I’m sure there are plenty of American citizens in New Bedford that are struggling to get by with multiple jobs but get hit by IRS penalties for self-employment taxes for just trying to get by. Or does this special protection only apply to illegal immigrants? Why do the ones who undercut our labor get a free pass but those who work multiple jobs and gigs get nothing but penalties and court dates? This double standard needs to end. If it doesn’t, don’t complain when more extreme political candidates continue to get elected.
OK, just make sure that your Police Department returns any Federal funding, grants etc. that keeps it on life support, and notify their community that either they make up for the loss or officers will be cut!
Howie,
Do you mean like with New Bedford, and how they found all types of projects to spend every last dollar of ARPA funds granted for pandemic related needs? Those are federal tax dollars that were given to cities and towns across America that were meant for pandemic related needs and any unused funds, American tax payer dollars should have been returned to the federal government and used for federal needs, or towards the $36 Trillion Dollar debt, not spent on per projects that weren’t needed, and would never have been granted if COVID never happened. That was an absolute insult to federal tax payer across America, and if that money wasn’t going to be returned to the Treasury, then it should have been sent out as a refund to the federal tax payer, not wasted on things that weren’t necessary.
Thank you for an insightful article on the delicate balance between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. I found the argument around community trust particularly compelling, as it highlights how cooperative policing can erode relationships between immigrant communities and local police, making individuals less likely to report crimes or seek help. It’s interesting to note that cities like San Francisco and New York have adopted “sanctuary” policies, which explicitly limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. These policies are not merely ethical stances; they often lead to increased public safety. For example, in San Francisco, a study found that immigrant communities reported a 9% decrease in violent crime after the implementation of such policies. This underscores how building trust can enhance safety for all residents, not just immigrants. Moreover, it’s crucial to consider how local agencies can utilize legal tools like the “writ of mandamus” to challenge federal overreach when it comes to immigration. This legal mechanism allows entities or individuals to compel a government official to perform a duty they are obligated to complete, which could be leveraged in situations where local police are pressured to engage in federal immigration enforcement. Given the complex dynamics at play, how do you think local law enforcement can effectively navigate their duties to protect public safety while maintaining a compassionate approach to immigration enforcement?