AMHERST — Town Meeting this spring will decide if Amherst becomes a sanctuary community by adopting a bylaw that will put a series of measures in place aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants.
A petition to formalize the town’s status as a sanctuary was turned in by noon Tuesday, the deadline for citizen bylaws and resolutions to be considered by annual Town Meeting, which begins April 26.
While the Select Board has not yet taken a position on the proposed bylaw, members at a Monday meeting seemed largely supportive of the concept, understanding that the town and schools receive more than $1 million in federal aid, and that President Donald Trump has threatened to strip federal money from so-called sanctuary cities.
Select Board Chairwoman Alisa Brewer said she appreciates the level of passion in the community to the risks faced by undocumented immigrants as a result of executive orders by Trump.
“We are not overreacting, we’re reacting to very clear threats,” Brewer said.
Select Board member Constance Kruger said she is having trouble catching her breath will all the actions coming from the White House and waiting for the “next insult to our humanity.”
Kruger said the label “sanctuary city” does mean something to people and could send an important message to residents.
Retired Fort River Principal Russell Venron-Jones, a member of the Amherst Sanctuary Committee that is spearheading the initiative, said he wants police to have good relations with immigrant communities, and wants to make sure they don’t go out of their way to aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement with any crackdowns.
“In the current climate, it just doesn’t make sense for our police department to be cooperating with ICE any more than required by law,” Vernon-Jones said.
Town Meeting member Caroline Murray said there is an urgency as raids and home sweeps are occurring in other parts of the country, and those undocumented immigrants with arrest records could be deported within two weeks.
“We have entered a new time. It’s time to stand up and say we will not be part of this,” Murray said.
Whole communities, she said, are being terrorized by ICE agents.
“We will not allow our neighbors to be taken in the middle of the night, and we hope you’ll join us,” Murray said.
The bylaw would 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, instead of asking, would order law enforcement not to inquire about a person’s immigration status unless required by federal or state law, and not to act on an ICE detainer request unless ICE has a criminal warrant issued by a judicial officer.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the bylaw language will be reviewed by town counsel, ensuring the public records component is legal and that it doesn’t put the police or other law enforcement officers in what he calls a “no-win situation.”
A lot of people are working to assure undocumented immigrant residents remain safe and aren’t afraid to solicit police assistance. “The Police Department looks at this as public safety first,” Bockelman said.
Bockelman notes that the Center for Immigration Studies, a conservative nonprofit research organization, already lists Amherst as a sanctuary city, which may have prompted calls from CNN and Fox Business cable network requesting interviews, which he has turned down.
In addition, Amherst’s bond counsel, which provides legal advice to the town when it issues bonds, asked Bockelman to get details about how much federal money is possibly endangered. Bockelman said he doesn’t believe there is risk because the bylaw will be done within the scope of federal law. “We pushed back on that,” Bockelman said.
In fact, Vernon-Jones said attorneys working with his group are making sure that the stand Amherst takes doesn’t jeopardize federal funds.
Human Rights Commission Chairman Matthew Charity said his committee is supportive of educating people about immigration topics.
“We are very fortunate to have an actual community that is looking to expand protections for immigrant community, in particular,” Charity said.
Select Board member Andrew Steinberg said his concern is whether the bylaw, which won’t be voted on until late April or May, will be able to respond to actual orders put out by Trump.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
