Here’s a press release from the Newton Democratic City Committee …
December 1, 2016–Newton, MA: Nearly 200 Democratic activists unanimously called upon the City of Newton to pass a TRUST ordinance, also commonly referred to as a sanctuary city provision, to increase public confidence in local law enforcement by providing clear guidelines associated with federal immigration enforcement, arrests, and detentions.
At the meeting of the Newton Democratic City Committee which took place in Newton Highlands on Thursday evening, presentations by Sue Parsons, a representative of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition and Paul Glickman, a former federal prosecutor with expertise on immigration issues, were met with enthusiastic support.
“The response was overwhelming,” said NDCC Chair Shawn Fitzgibbons. “People are responding to President-Elect Trump’s promises to round up immigrants with a loud and clear message–Newton officials should take action now to protect immigrants in our city.”
Several Newton City Councilors were present at the meeting and voiced support for a local ordinance.
In addition, State Senator Cindy Creem spoke about a statewide TRUST act which will be introduced again to the legislature early next year. The NDCC also voted unanimously to endorse this statewide legislation.
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I am researching an ordinance to this effect. Ensuring that immigrants feel protected within Newton not only makes residents safer and the city more vibrant, it is also a prime example of the local federalism and robust civil society that will de-claw a proto-tyrant from destroying the American idea: _The condition of your birth should not determine the outcome of your life._
Totally in favor of Newton becoming a Sanctuary City, particularly because in June Gov Baker changed Gov Patrick’s stance to now order the State Police to work with ICE.
This is why the Democratic Party is dying nationally. No House, no Senate, no President, minority of governors, minority of state legislatures. Out of touch.
If we break one US law why not break a few more. Newton residents should not pay city taxes or federal taxes. Anarchy may not be a bad idea.
I was proud to make the motion that the Democratic City Committee endorse the adoption of a TRUST Act at both the local and state level. Our city is safest when the immigrants who work and live in our community feel comfortable coming to law enforcement without fear that their immigration status might be questioned. This is particularly timely given that the President elect has made several very troubling statements about immigrants.
Some more info on the statewide TRUST Act is here: http://www.cpresente.org/what-we-do/campaigns/ma-trust-act-campaign
Interesting how people supporting this never put the word “illegal” in front of immigrants. Trump isn’t concerned about legal immigrants. His wife is one.
Byron’s manipulation of the facts is meant to deceive.
And, finally, really, in a country that should be governed by laws, even when we disagree with them, why is it so important to advocate for illegals, and to malign people who simply do believe in following the established law? In the extreme, one will risk It, like the Nuremberg laws in Nazi Germany, but this is logical immigration control.
“It is easy to make light of insistence on scrupulous regard for the safeguards of civil liberties when invoked on behalf of the unworthy. History bears testimony that by such disregard are the rights of liberty extinguished, heedlessly at first, then stealthily, then brazenly in the end.”
–Justice Felix Frankfuter
Ah, Ted.
What “civil liberties” are we talking about? Is it a civil liberty to disregard laws passed by a legislature?
I am a former resident of Brookline and know Newton very well. I am particularly distressed by three issues: 1. Sanctuary cities break US law. If you break one law why not break every law OR worse create circumstances when anarchy can flourish. 2. It give shelter to criminals or people who broke US law and undermines US justice. 3. As an immigrant myself I had to provide a sponsor, prove that can support my self, bring some money, that I am healthy etc. Welcoming illegal immigrants discriminates against folks like me and millions of others who obey US law. You get immigrants who may have no skills, no basic education, have health problems and create a financial burden on tax paying Newton residents. They steal jobs from Americans, do not pay taxes, demand social services and schooling which is paid by reducing Newton social services to seniors. This gallant Joan d’Ark gesture is emotional and unjustified logically. I did not mention the demographic effect that it causes. To underscore my concern I enclose a video about Dearborn Michigan where neither English nor Spanish are spoken. Everything is Arabic. I also enclose a video of president Bill Clinton on immigration. Dearborn https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w5oLoW9jZJc Bill Clinton talking about immigration in his 1995 State of the Union Address. Watch video Clip by click on Go Bill or http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=51634
Transcript of 1995 State of the Union segment on There is an old expression: the way to hell is paved with good intention. Best, Isaac Barr MD Michigan Forum.
Folks should understand that a TRUST act – the passage of which creates what is (imperfectly) called a “sanctuary city” – aligns with state and federal law. What such an ordinance does, at the local level, is provide specific direction to a police force about when (or if) they report people without documentation of immigration status to federal authorities. The purpose of the law is to ensure people without legal immigration status in our city don’t avoid local police when they may need them (reporting a crime, for example, or protection from domestic violence) out of fear they will be ’rounded up’. Border control is a federal responsibility. A “sanctuary city” does not actually shelter immigrants – the term comes from a time when churches used to actually provide shelter and safe-keeping/passage to immigrants without documentation.
From a moral standpoint, there is no such thing as an “illegal person.” These are people – children – who are in our country and who need to be treated in a humane manner. Thanks to the nearly 200 folks at our meeting who agreed and to City Councilors who are moving this ahead. I hope the Newton City Council and the Mayor will take action to pass a TRUST ordinance locally.
Folks should understand that a TRUST act – the passage of which creates what is (imperfectly) called a “sanctuary city” – aligns with state and federal law. What such an ordinance does, at the local level, is provide specific direction to a police force about when (or if) they detain people without documentation of immigration status on behalf of federal authorities. The purpose of the law is to ensure people without legal immigration status in our city don’t avoid local police when they may need them (reporting a crime, for example, or protection from domestic violence) out of fear they will be ’rounded up’. Border control is a federal responsibility. Additionally, when local police are asked to undertake immigration errors, US citizens may also be mistakenly detained. This has happened in other states such as Arizona; because people”seem” like immigrants and don’t have any citizenship documents with them such as a passport, they end up in jail.
A “sanctuary city” does not actually shelter immigrants – the term comes from a time when churches used to actually provide shelter and safe-keeping/passage to immigrants without documentation.
From a moral standpoint, there is no such thing as an “illegal person.” These are people – children – who are in our country and who need to be treated in a humane manner. Thanks to the nearly 200 folks at our meeting who agreed and to City Councilors who are moving this ahead. I hope the Newton City Council and the Mayor will take action to pass a TRUST ordinance locally.
The Trust Act in Boston, passed unanimously by the City Council and signed by Mayor Marty Walsh in 2014, prohibits Boston police from detaining anyone based on their immigration status unless they are serving a criminal warrant.
Boston values and respects the city’s immigrant communities and the Trust Act is a statement of those values, providing sanctuary from the type of immoral and illegal federal overreach that President-elect Trump has promised throughout his tawdry campaign.
The Trust Act would ease the unfair burden currently placed on local governments and improve public safety for everyone by establishing that law enforcement officials are not involved in immigration enforcement. This will promote:
No Misuse of Local Resources: The federal government has coopted local and state law enforcement agencies into doing their work for them, which diverts local resources from our own public safety priorities. No federal overreach.
Public Safety: The entanglement of local police and civil immigration enforcement undermines community relations and public safety efforts, because individuals become reluctant to report crimes or serve as witnesses for fear of their or others deportation. Collaboration between the police and the community is essential in combatting and preventing crimes.
More equal Access to Justice: Local law enforcement officers’ assistance with federal immigration enforcement has resulted in the unlawful seizure and detention of residents without charges or probable cause to detain them. Submission to federal immigration detainer requests has led to many residents receiving unequal access to justice within the criminal justice system, unequal treatment by law enforcement officials, unfair bail forfeitures, and barriers to accessing police protection.
Non-citizens who have called the police for help will not instead end up in deportation proceedings.
File under more dramatic evidence that we have too many councilors.
While we are at it, why doesn’t Newton become a nuclear free zone and invite Syrian refugees and former Gitmo detainees to live here? Whoops, I forgot that already did so. We need new time wasters. How about passing a resolution to outlaw fracking? Prohibit the Keystone Pipeline from going through our city?
@Jeff: I think you’re trying to say that this doesn’t effect us here in Newton. I fervently disagree. We have immigrant communities in Newton both living here and working here. Their dignity matters to me and to many others in Newton.
@Bryan. This is not a real action item. This is a high-school-student-government-level attempt by local officials, like they do time and time again, to voice their opinion about a national issue. It is not going to have one iota of any impact on anyone.
You should be very happy about this as I am, because it increases the chance that the Charter Proposal will pass. Cheers! Maybe restrictions on UFO landings are next.
@Jeff: Honestly, it may not seem real to you. But to the immigrants who live and work in our community, this couldn’t be more real. Which is why surrounding cities Boston, Somerville, and Cambridge have already taken these steps.
The suggestion that Sanctuary is “just giving order s to police” is a fascist suggestion. The Nazi did the same, just told police to let Arians go free. The IRS scandal: US told IRS to whom to give free tax and to whom not. Democracy is to obey majority rule. Freedom is not democracy. If you want to be a “Democrat” you cannot allow anarchy.
The “it won’t happen here” sentiment is all too often heard before it does. It is being seen in nature with 100 year storms and certainly has been seen in religions and immigration for hundreds of years. In Newton immigrants, documented or not, are a major concern in the discussion of leaf blowers.
Newton needs to offer some assurance that immigrants will not be questioned without cause in the form of a criminal warrant.