BARNSTABLE – Barnstable County Commissioners have received a report from the county’s human rights commission about an increase of immigration-related concerns.
The Human Rights Coordinator for Barnstable County says there has been a growing number of inquiries related to immigration and national origin received by the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission.
As of July 1st, 24-percent of the Commission’s intakes involve immigrants, up from about ten percent in the past two years.
According to the report, many of the cases involve public harassment.
Common themes include fear surrounding immigration enforcement activity, reports of aggressive enforcement tactics, family separation, and stress caused by shifts in Temporary Protected Status.
“We continue to hear from families who are anxious about enforcement activity and changes in immigration status. These fears affect daily life — from parents worried about going to work to students uncertain about attending school,” said Leslie Dominguez-Santos, Human Rights Coordinator for Barnstable County.
Illegal immigration enforcement has been a top priority for the second Trump Administration. An ICE operation in May resulted in about 1,500 immigrants taken into custody across Massachusetts, including on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
On the Cape, there was particular community concern this summer in Falmouth, prompting their Select Board to release this statement on July 1st:
The Town of Falmouth is committed to enabling our residents, businesses, employees, and visitors the opportunity to live, work, and experience our town’s unique charm today, tomorrow, and for future generations. We strive to be an inclusive, welcoming, equitable, and diverse community, and we take seriously our responsibilities for economic prosperity and the health, safety, and wellbeing of residents and visitors.
Trust, including trust that constitutional and civil rights will be upheld by all law enforcement officials, is foundational to the kind of community we strive to be. Our local police work diligently to build trust and relationships – acting as guardians first, enforcers only when necessary.
In contrast, some of the tactics employed by federal immigration and law enforcement officials operating in Falmouth in recent weeks has contributed to a climate of fear that undermines the work that our town staff, including our police department, do each day.
The Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission continues to support outreach and information sharing, including the distribution of “Know Your Rights” red cards, multilingual resource lists, and legal clinics in partnership with community organizations and schools.
Dominguez-Santos also described a recent meeting that brought together police chiefs, the Sheriff’s Office, and community members to discuss immigrant safety and law enforcement coordination. Topics included local law enforcement’s need to be informed regarding immigration enforcement actions, the need for accurate joint messaging, and the potential for warm handoffs between local police, schools, and service providers.
In May, the Trump Administration announced a new list of immigrant sanctuary designations which included Cape Cod. A revised list in August only included one Massachusetts municipality: Boston, whose Mayor Michelle Wu refused to drop her city’s sanctuary policy while facing pressure to do so from ICE.
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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