Making Wayland A 'Welcoming City' Is On Town Meeting Warrant

WAYLAND, MA —Wayland's spring Town Meeting is coming up on April 29. With over 20 articles on the warrant, there will be plenty to talk about. One of the articles is a proposal to make Wayland a welcoming community.

A welcoming community is a way for municipalities to make legislation that is open to immigrants. Specifically, it is meant to alleviate fears that municipal governments will hand undocumented immigrants over to federal authorities. Cities and towns cannot legally be forced to use their own resources to assist in the enforcement of immigration laws, according to the ACLU.

Several neighboring towns have become welcoming communities including Waltham, Newton and Sudbury. The warrant article puts Wayland in the ranks of cities like Framingham, who are still considering the move.

In the article, trust between the immigrant community and the town government is highlighted. "The trust that undocumented immigrants have in Town employees, including law enforcement personnel and local medical and domestic violence agencies, is paramount to the well-being of our community and the safety of all residents," the article reads. The article also says police cannot prolong the detainment of a person based solely on their immigration status unless they have a warrant.

Being that the issue is a large one and Town Meeting has a packed list of articles, an informational discussion will be held about about the specific welcoming article. The event will be at the Wayland Library from 7 to 8 p.m. on April 23.

The article has its own website with a full reading of the article itself. There are also frequently asked questions, one of which asks what the article would do. "In truth, this Article would keep things exactly the same as they are right now," the response reads in part.

Read the full Town Meeting Warrant.