1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

I am writing to you as a Massachusetts resident deeply disturbed by the recent ICE-related arrest in Worcester, during which a young girl was violently pinned to the ground by police while her mother was being taken into custody. This is unacceptable conduct—and it was made possible by local police cooperation with ICE. This kind of violence cannot happen in our state. We need clear and immediate limits on how and when law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts can collaborate with federal immigration authorities. We’ve debated this for too long—it’s time to act. I urge you to: • Pass binding statewide legislation—like the Safe Communities Act—that strictly limits local law enforcement involvement in federal immigration enforcement. • Investigate the conduct of the officers involved in this incident, including whether they violated state or departmental policies. • Issue public guidance making it clear that protecting children and families takes precedence over ICE detainer requests. Massachusetts must not be complicit in ICE’s abuses. If we say we are a sanctuary, we must act like one. Please use the full power of your office to ensure this never happens again.