Mass. state troopers may soon arrest undocumented immigrants

By Associated Press

BOSTON - Gov. Mitt Romney is seeking an agreement with federal authorities that would give Massachusetts state troopers expanded powers to arrest undocumented immigrants for immigration violations.

The Republican governor has instructed legal counsel to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement to begin the process that would give state police a way of "finding and detaining illegal aliens in the course of ordinary business," Romney said.


"It's one more thing you can do to make this a less attractive place for illegal aliens to come to work," Romney told The Boston Globe.


State police currently have no authority to arrest people on the basis of their immigration status alone, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said.


If they arrest some one for violations of state law, state police can contact federal immigration officials to check their status and detain immigrants if federal officials request it.


Under the expanded powers being sought, troopers could check on an immigrant's legal status during routine patrols such as a traffic stop and decide whether the suspect should be held.


The state police would receive special training from federal authorities on immigration laws, procedures, civil rights and how to avoid racial profiling.


Such an agreement would not require legislative approval, Fehrnstrom said.


The move would not be unprecedented. The states of Florida and Alabama, as well as some regions of California and North Carolina already have similar agreements.


Expanding the powers of state police to enforce federal immigration laws would detract from normal duties, lead to racial profiling and dissuade illegal immigrants from reporting real crimes, civil libertarians said.


"This will overwhelm the state police force, it will hinder real law enforcement, real community law enforcement, and it will clearly lead to racial and ethnic profiling," said Carol Rose, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts.


Groups that fight domestic violence fear that such an agreement would make immigrant victims hesitant to report crimes to police.


Fehrnstrom rejected those criticisms, saying that undocumented immigrants have broken the law simply by being in the U.S.


But those who favor stricter immigration control, frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of federal action against a growing problem, welcomed news of the proposal.


"I think that's a good thing," said state Rep. Marie J. Parente, D-Milford, whose community has enacted licensing regulations that make it more difficult for undocumented immigrants to settle there.


"We need to do something," she said. "I think that will be a message, that the state of Massachusetts welcomes you if you're within the law."


Other communities, however, are more welcoming to immigrants. Cambridge passed a resolution declaring the city a sanctuary for immigrants, and other towns may follow suit.


A number of states and counties have called Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of the Homeland Security Department, seeking information of similar agreements, said Mike Gilhooly, a spokesman for the department's New England division.

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