Amherst ready should ICE come knocking: Bockelman says town prepared to handle legitimate requests
![Amherst. 04.22.2023 Amherst. 04.22.2023](/attachments/86/48402786.jpg)
Amherst. 04.22.2023 STAFF PHOTO
Published: 01-29-2025 12:15 PM |
AMHERST — Even though no civil immigration detainer requests were made to Amherst police and no individuals were transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2024, Amherst’s town manager told the Town Council this week that local officials are prepared for renewed federal efforts to locate undocumented immigrants in town.
“We’re in pretty good shape,” Bockelman said. “But we do anticipate something will happen along the way.”
With President Donald Trump’s return to the White House on Jan. 20, and Homeland Security agents showing up at schools in other places, Bockelman said police and schools are prepared to handle legitimate requests.
His brief comments came in response to a memo included in Monday’s meeting packet that was a response to a petition, allowed under the town’s sanctuary bylaw and signed by seven residents, seeking data about ICE detainers and custodies. The bylaw, ensuring that Amherst police doesn’t participate in federal immigration enforcement activities, has a provision whereby three or more registered voters can request information, and that information has to be presented to the Town Council within 30 days.
Based on data from police, the only affirmative action related to immigration enforcement was one application for a U visa, which was approved. U visas are set aside for those who are victims of certain crimes, who have suffered mental or physical abuse, and are helpful to law enforcement.
The request was led by Human Rights Commission Chairwoman Rani Parker, who informed the commission at its Jan. 15 meeting about the petition.
Parker said commission members have to remember there is fear for people living in the community, and called for more transparency in communications with Homeland Security, saying the commission should be asking for information to be openly available about every contact with that agency.
The hope also is that the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Human Rights departments can sponsor training to understand more about what happens in circumstances of being detained, and also work to make sure the community understands that some people living in town, should they be removed from the United States, may be forced to return to violence they left behind and countries where they have no rights.
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District 4 Councilor Pamela Rooney told Bockelman that it might be wise for councilors to get some form of training, to point residents to those who can help out should federal agents be in town, and to get constituents information.
When the meeting got underway on Monday, North Amherst resident Vincent O’Connor said he wanted assurances from councilors and police officers that no American citizen would be taken out of Amherst by federal authorities. O’Connor pointed to a recent raid in Newark, New Jersey, with reports that two citizens were detained and questioned.
While the town should honor federal authorities in possession of just detainers and judicial warrants, O’Connor warned about agents getting into schools in attempts to locate undocumented students.
“They do not have the right to walk about the school, to knock on the doors of classrooms and demand to be allowed in,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor also appealed for Amherst police to take actions necessary to keep federal authorities within their proper boundaries, including ensuring that they don’t break down the doors of classrooms at Amherst schools.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.