AMHERST — As concern spreads about federal actions that may lead to undocumented immigrants being uprooted from their communities and possibly facing deportation from the United States, activists in Amherst are pushing to make sure that the town will be a sanctuary for all.
The Amherst Sanctuary Committee is gathering signatures, which will be submitted to the Select Board by Feb. 28, on a petition urging Town Meeting to adopt a bylaw that will strengthen a resolution already in place that asks town officials and police not to comply with the federal Secure Communities Act. The act is a deportation program that relies on partnership among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The bylaw also aims to outline a series of responsibilities and expectations for municipal employees.
Caroline Murray, a Precinct 4 Town Meeting member, recently told the Human Rights Commission that the bylaw is part of making Amherst resistant to directives from the Trump administration.
“The intention of this petition is to reaffirm our commitment to being a welcoming community for all of our neighbors,” Murray said.
She said the concern is elevated this month, with a dragnet in other communities set up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement that has included sweeps of homes and pursuit of school buses to locate parents.
“The expanded powers are really terrorizing whole communities, ” Murray said.
Making Amherst a sanctuary city is vital, she said.
“I am fully expecting an incursion here and neighboring communities and we need to make our intentions clear and want to codify this intent in a bylaw,” Murray said.
Human Rights Commission Chairman Matthew Charity said a concern is that ICE may be broadening the criminal warrants it will look at. There are also possible changes to immigration rules that a bylaw could respond to.
“It would hopefully be a little clearer on what the town’s perspective is,” Charity said.
Police Chief Scott Livingstone said his department’s protocol is not to jeopardize a person or family being part of the community, and doesn’t want people to be afraid to call police if a child’s bike is stolen or a person is a victim of domestic violence.
If a detainer request is made by ICE, Livingstone, or Capt. Jennifer Gundersen or Capt. Ronald Young, will use discretion as to whether the department will comply.
“Those requests are exactly that. There is no mandate there,” Livingstone said.
And no patrol officers will make that decision.
“Our credibility is with the community,” Livingstone added “We don’t want mistakes made.”
But he said he has concern about putting officers in a position of violating the law. If ICE comes, he said, he would want to be notified, but Amherst police won’t participate in the actual work, though may offer officers to provide traffic control and keep the peace.
Murray said she hopes it will be a hands-off approach so that residents can protect any undocumented immigrants who might face deportation. “We would hope police will not be between ICE and the people,” Murray said.
The Amherst Sanctuary Committee is planning an event March 4 at 3 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church that would show how to defend neighbors, resist President Trump and build community. This would include putting sanctuary into practice, meaning safe houses and other safe spaces for people to turn to in case of ICE action.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
