BOSTON (AP) — Republicans are urging the Democratic-controlled Legislature to quickly change a Massachusetts law, which a court ruled forbids police officers from holding a person solely on the basis of a federal immigration detainer.
Immigration activists repeatedly interrupted the House GOP lawmakers with chants of “keep hate out of our state” during Wednesday’s Statehouse news conference to discuss the bill they filed after Monday’s ruling by the state’s highest court.
The measure would give police officers the power to arrest and detain, without a warrant, an individual suspected by the federal government of being in the U.S. illegally.
Andover Republican James Lyons said the bill would help keep Massachusetts residents safe.
Patricia Montes, head of the group Centro Presente, accused the legislators of “criminalizing the immigrant community.”