Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued a new policy that allows state police to detain certain removable aliens at the request of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bureau. The move reverses a sanctuary policy imposed by former Gov. Deval Patrick that barred State Police from honoring ICE detention requests and limited communication between agencies.
State police can query ICE about suspected illegal aliens who had been arrested for a state criminal violation or on a warrant. If ICE requests a detainer, the individual can be held for 48 hours beyond the time he/she would have otherwise be released.
The policy allows state police to cooperate under the federal Priority Enforcement Program, which enables ICE to ask state and local police to detain for removal aliens who have been convicted of an offense listed under DHS enforcement priorities, have participated in an organized criminal gang, or pose a danger to national security.
In a statement, Gov. Baker said, “This policy revision gives the professionals of our statewide policing agency the tools necessary to detain criminals, gang members, or suspected terrorists wanted by federal authorities…As before, the State Police will not be enforcing federal immigration law nor will they inquire about immigration status. They will now be able to assist in detaining for our federal partners individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety or national security.’’
Read more in the Boston Globe.
