Recently, the Georgetown Police Department has seen an increase in ICE enforcement across Essex County and throughout the state. The department would like to share information about its policies and procedures, state law, and federal immigration and detention laws.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that police in Massachusetts do not have legal authority to hold or detain individuals based solely on federal civil immigration detainers. ICE civil detainers are not judicial warrants.
Any Massachusetts police department that holds or detains an individual based solely on a civil immigration detainer faces liability for unlawful arrest.
The Georgetown Police Department does not enforce civil immigration regulations, and does not ever inquire about immigration status. All local law enforcement agencies enter arrestees’ fingerprints and other identifying information into federal databases, which are accessible by ICE and other federal agencies, but we do not collect or share information regarding immigration status.
The department remains committed to the safety and security of Georgetown and its residents and hopes this information provides insight and clarity.
For More Information Visit: https://georgetownmapd.com/ice-information/