Somerville Police Chief, Law Enforcement Officials Issue Statement In Support Of DACA

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville Police Chief David Fallon and other area law enforcement leaders on Monday called on Congress to establish clear federal immigration policy pertaining to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In a joint statement, Fallon, Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes, Framingham Police Chief Kenneth Ferguson, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans and Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian said they support legislation permitting "young people brought to the United States as children - to remain in the United States and continue contributing to our communities and our nation."

"Individuals previously protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program have graduated from our schools and have honorably served our nation in the armed forces," the officers, who represent Massachusetts on the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force, wrote. "Their stories are inspirational and they are as much members of our communities as we are. We believe they deserve the clarity that can only come with federal legislative action."

DACA is in limbo after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Sept. 5 that the Trump administration would rescind the program, putting a freeze on the Obama-era policy protecting about 800,000 undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as minors.

The federal government is no longer accepting new requests for DACA status but will consider renewal requests received by Oct. 5 for individuals whose status expires between Sept. 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018.

Read the full joint statement below:

"Today we join with colleagues from across the country asking Congress to support legislation allowing “young people brought to the United States as children - to remain in the United States and continue contributing to our communities and our nation.”

Individuals previously protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program have graduated from our schools and have honorably served our nation in the armed forces. Their stories are inspirational and they are as much members of our communities as we are. We believe they deserve the clarity that can only come with federal legislative action.

A clear and consistent federal immigration policy benefits not only these young men and women as individuals, but our communities as a whole.

We urge Congress to act quickly to find an effective solution to protect these individuals – the vast majority of whom know no other home than the United States."

Photo: Supporters of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA chant slogans and hold signs while joining a Labor Day rally in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. (Richard Vogel/Associated Press)