BOSTON (WWLP) – Since 2017, advocates on Beacon Hill have been pushing for the Safe Communities Act.
Recently, there was a hearing at the State House and advocates are hoping this is the year it can garner enough support to make it to the governor. In the last two legislative sessions, versions of the Safe Communities Act have been reported favorably out of committee.
Six arrested for allegedly giving passing scores to Massachusetts CDL applicants
However, the bill has changed slightly since it was first introduced. Earlier versions of the bill called for a total ban on communications between police and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE). That has now been narrowed to only cover police proactively reaching out to ICE.
The main point of the bill is the same, Massachusetts police and courts would not be allowed to ask a person’s immigration status. Opponents believe this could hamper the police’s ability to work with ICE to remove dangerous people from the United States.