Beverly To Limit ICE Enforcement, Arrests On Municipal Grounds

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly will look to limit the federal Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities on municipal grounds as part of a new proclamation from Mayor Michael Cahill.

Cahill announced the proclamation, which he said was created in consultation with Police Chief John LeLacheur, City Council President Julie Flowers and School Committee Chair Lorinda Visnick, that "except as authorized by a judicial warrant or judicial order, civil arrest by federal immigration officers shall not be executed in nonpublic areas of city facilities" and that "city property shall not be used by federal immigration officers as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases to support their immigration enforcement efforts."

• MA Governor Aims To Bar ICE From Schools, Hospitals, Churches, Courthouses With New Order

Cahill said Chief LaLacheur updated the 2017 Beverly Police Department Immigration Status and Detainer Policy to reflect the proclamation, which was made alongside Flowers and Visnick in an effort to affirm "our community's values and commitment to the safety of all Beverly residents, including particularly our immigrant residents."

All members of the City Council and School Committee were invited to sign the proclamation.

"As mayor, I have recommitted our city to certain key policies, all in our ongoing effort to keep all Beverly residents, including particularly our immigrant residents, and all our Beverly Police personnel safe in our community," Cahill said.

The proclamation mirrors Gov. Maura Healey's executive order that bars ICE officials from conducting operations in schools, churches, hospitals and non-public areas of courthouses and state facilities.

More on Patch:

• Moulton Compares ICE Shooting To Boston Massacre, Calls For Prosecution
• US Rep. Moulton's 'NOEM Act' Would Allow ICE Officers To Be Sued

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)