ICE actions show need for state law
The Safe Communities Act has been a priority for Massachusetts immigrant groups and has yet to be voted into law.
Our Acton Police Department acted in accordance with department policy and the will of Town Meeting (2017) on Saturday, May 17, when contacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for information about a young man Acton Police had just brought in for fingerprinting. As The Acton Bridge has reported, he was pulled over by a Acton officer after driving through a red light. The man had outstanding warrants for minor traffic violations, so he was brought to the station and fingerprinted. The department received a phone call from ICE wanting information about the man. The Acton officer declined to provide the information. The man’s mother came to the Acton Police station and posted bail. As soon as the man left the station, he and his mother were taken into custody by ICE.
The Safe Communities Act has been a priority for Massachusetts immigrant groups since 2021 and has yet to be voted into law, though it has steadily gained support. The bill would prevent local and state government from entering into contracts with ICE or cooperating or participating in deportations. Many police departments, including Acton, have voluntarily made this their policy, believing that a community is safer when residents trust their police department and do not fear deportation when they need help or want to share or receive information. Maybe this will be the year the Safe Communities Act becomes law.
Massachusetts residents are increasingly concerned about ICE’s actions. But if ICE has access to the fingerprint database and can detain an immigrant as soon as he leaves the station, is the will of Massachusetts voters even going to matter?
Jane Blumberg
Lowell Road
