Brockton Proposes Keeping Immigrant Arrest Info Away From ICE

BROCKTON, MA — The City Council will consider a proposed ordinance that, if approved, prevents police from reporting information abut arrests to federal immigration authorities.

The "Brockton United Ordinance" was first presented at the City Council's ordinance committee meeting last Wednesday. If approved by the full council, "sanctuary city" protections become law in Brockton.

But first, the ordinance committee will meet again March 14 to get input from Police Chief John Crowley, Mayor Bill Carpenter and Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz. There was also some reluctance from at least one committee member because the proposal doesn't include exceptions for more severe crimes., the Brockton Enterprise reported. The proposed ordinance says:

“The Brockton Police Department will not provide federal immigration authorities information relating to the incarceration status, length of detention, home address, work address, hearing information, or pending release of a person in police custody or who has come to the attention of police, except for information that is available through the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.”

City Councilor At-large Winthrop Farwell, who is a member of the ordinance committee, told the Brockton Enterprise the language goes too far. He proposed an amendment saying that if undocumented immigrants are arrested on felony charges, they would be reported to ICE . Councilor-at-large Jean Bradley Derenoncourt disagreed, saying that just because someone was arrested doesn't necessarily mean they committed the crime. The ordinance also has support from the ACLU of Massachusetts and the Latino Women Association of Brockton.

For more on this story, check out the Brockton Enterprise