As Donald Trump takes office today, immigration policies have been top of mind for many folks living in Massachusetts.
Trump has spoken about conducting mass deportations across the country during his campaign, which has many immigrants, including some with temporary status, feeling nervous about their protections being taken away, according to Elizabeth Sweet, the executive director for the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy[MIRA] coalition.
"We're hearing so much fear and anxiety from so many individuals who are really frightened about what these policies are going to mean for them and for their families,” Sweet said.
Executive Director for the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, Michael Bradley Jr., said state law enforcement officers can't arrest someone on the basis of an immigration detainer, which is a federal request to hold someone for up to 48 hours after their initial release.
"We can't hold anybody in custody based on a detainer itself,” Bradley said. “So, if we arrest somebody for a crime that's unrelated to immigration, we can't hold them for a longer period of time just because there's a civil detainer on them."
But Bradley says Massachusetts law enforcement can notify federal authorities of an individual's release. He says police generally cooperate with federal immigration and customs enforcement officers — or ICE agents — if they need public information on an individual.
"We generally cooperate with our federal partners regardless of what branch they serve in,” Bradley said.
Sweet, from MIRA, said they’re advocating for the state to invest in legal services for immigrants.
"If someone is arrested now in the country, then they do have the opportunity to go before an immigration judge. But without an attorney, those proceedings can be incredibly difficult to win,” Sweet said. “So, we are advocating for more funding to pay for more attorneys, to make sure that immigrants caught up in these terrible circumstances at least have a fair day in court."
Sweet said MIRA and the ACLU have “Know Your Rights” cards for immigrants living in the state who aren’t aware of their rights, if they’re detained by ICE officers.
