We … stand committed to creating a welcoming, safe, inclusive and hate free community. We stand against the politics of hate that seek to divide us and redouble our commitment to the values of freedom, justice, and equality that bind us as a community. We commit to protecting those whose security and well-being may be threatened in the current political and social climate.
That is the opening text of petition to declare Amherst a “sanctuary community.”
Attacks on immigrants are a direct threat to our community. Even in this nation of immigrants, the diversity of nationalities and immigrant status of people living in the Amherst area is striking.
In my neighborhood alone, I know folks from Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, El Salvador, Germany, India, Israel, Ivory Coast, Palestine, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Some have lived here for decades, others are more recent arrivals. All contribute to the richness of our community as homeowners, renters, parents, students, volunteers, educators, service providers, researchers, artists, business people, taxpayers, and in many other roles. All are harmed by the rise of racist statements and policies designed to undermine our shared humanity.
Two weeks ago, hundreds of people turned out for a community meeting at Grace Episcopal Church to respond to the new assaults on immigrant rights and democracy from the Trump administration. We heard testimony from a diverse group of speakers who have been personally affected by recent executive orders and the general rise of anti-immigrant sentiment and Islamophobia. As citizens, visa holders, or undocumented immigrants, all have faced unfair obstacles, and seen themselves and their families targeted due only to their place of birth, as they sought to continue their education, raise their children, and build lives for themselves in our community.
Congressman Jim McGovern spoke of the harm done to us all when community members, such as a medical doctor, are kept out because of prejudice against their religion or country of birth. With Trump in the White House and Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, it may seem there is little we can do here to resist the policies coming out of Washington, but that isn’t the case. In addition to participating in popular resistance that provides critical support for the members of Congress and judges who can delay or stop appointments and invalidate illegal orders, there is much work we can do at home to protect and defend our neighbors.
It is past time for Massachusetts to ensure that state laws and practices protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents. This is the purpose of the Safe Communities Act, introduced by state Sen. Jamie Eldridge and Rep. Juana Matias and co-sponsored by over 90 colleagues, including Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose of Amherst.
It is easy, and appropriate, to be incensed by the treatment of immigrants in places like Maricopa County, Arizona, where Sheriff Joe Arpaio, until he was voted out last year, misused his powers to target immigrants while failing to properly investigate serious crimes.
But did you know that there are counties here in blue-state Massachusetts where sheriff’s departments are carrying out immigration enforcement through agreements with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency? This double role creates conflicts that undermine their ability to work with all members of the community to protect public safety.
The Safe Communities Act would prohibit and nullify such agreements, and preserve police resources for fighting crime by prohibiting them from participating in investigations, raids, or detentions based solely on immigration status. It would also ensure basic due-process rights for people detained in state and local facilities for civil immigration violations. Crucially, given calls for a Muslim registry, it would prohibit federal access to information in state databases for use in any registry program based on national origin, religion or other protected characteristics.
A petition in support of the act is available at petitions.moveon.org/sign/support-the-safe-communities. Stan Rosenberg, Senate president and our senator, who also attended the community meeting, is supportive, promising to “continue to encourage (Senate) action to protect our interests and all of the residents of the commonwealth.”
Meanwhile, Amherst Town Meeting will vote this spring on a proposed Sanctuary Community Bylaw designed to “to ensure public safety and trust between law enforcement and all members of our community.” As with the Safe Communities Act, this bylaw would prohibit local law enforcement officials from initiating investigations based on immigration status and from detaining an individual eligible for release unless there is a criminal warrant for their arrest.
It would prohibit town employees from acting as immigration officers and from participating in the registration of individuals on the basis of their religion, national origin, nationality, citizenship, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or age.
These basic rules for a humane society and civil democracy should be quickly adopted.
Jim Oldham is a Town Meeting member from Precinct 5.
