Worcester Amends ICE Policy, Prohibits Use Of City Property For Operations

WORCESTER, MA — The City of Worcester has amended its policy on how municipal employees and police officers interact with ICE. This comes amid national and statewide concerns regarding ICE activity, according to the city.

“The City of Worcester is watching the horrific events play out across the country as ICE continues to wreak havoc on communities with no regard for humanity, and I want to reaffirm the policy in place for how our municipality is to interact with federal agents,” City Manager Eric D. Batista wrote in a statement on Wednesday.

The city announced that it has built on its previous policy with new amendments that further protect Worcester residents, including a prohibition on ICE agents using municipal property to stage or prepare civil immigration operations. Batista added that no municipal resources will be used toward federal civil immigration enforcement.

On May 16, Batista issued an Executive Order regarding the municipality's response and interaction with ICE. This established guidelines for local response to ICE.

Related: Worcester Says No To Partnership Between Ice, Police Department

Worcester's policy on municipal interactions with ICE

• Municipal employees and WPD officers shall not inquire about immigration status nor shall immigration status impact the treatment of a resident, victim, suspect, arrestee, 911 caller, or another member of the public with whom a municipal employee has contact.
• WPD shall not initiate investigations or take law enforcement action solely on the basis of immigration status, including without limitation, the initiation of a stop, an apprehension, or arrest. No person will be arrested or held by the WPD solely on the basis of a federal civil immigration detainer, including extending the length of detention by any amount of time once an individual is released from local custody, or before being transferred to court or admitted to bail.
• WPD will not assist any agency for matters solely based on civil federal immigration enforcement.
• Municipal employees will not allow ICE agents access to records, information, or non-public areas of municipal buildings for the enforcement of federal civil immigration laws.
• Employees must report ICE agents at any municipal building.

Amendments to the policy as added on Wednesday, Feb. 4

• The municipality prohibits use of its property, including open space, parking lots, garages, parks, or buildings, including the interior or exterior areas of any parcel upon which a building is located, for staging and prepping of federal civil immigration enforcement actions. Prohibited uses include but are not limited to assembling, mobilizing, or deploying vehicles, equipment, materials, or personnel for the purpose of carrying out federal civil immigration enforcement operations.
• The municipality shall not enter into any 287(g) agreements.
• When responding to calls related to ICE activity, the WPD shall take reasonable steps to verify that the individuals on scene are federal agents and gather relevant information.
• Any footage captured on WPD body-worn cameras of federal agents engaged in a civil immigration enforcement shall be made publicly available.

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