LAWRENCE ON NOTICE
DOJ warns of sanctuary city consequences
The Justice Department has fired off a threatening letter to Lawrence and 28 other “sanctuary cities” across the U.S., sending a shot across the bow of communities who shield illegal immigrants that federal grant money could be denied.
It’s a warning — issued late yesterday to top cops in every city — that one immigration expert said will hurt police budgets.
“Jurisdictions in Massachusetts are going to have to either defend themselves in federal court, change their policies or give up this money — either way, it’s going to be costly,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy for the conservative Center of Immigration Studies.
“I think that state and local leaders in the commonwealth need to take this very seriously,” she added. “It is clear that the Department of Justice is going to continue its efforts to impose consequences on sanctuaries.”
In a letter sent to Lawrence police Chief James Fitzpatrick, the DOJ says their sanctuary city policies may violate federal rules requiring cooperation with immigration enforcement in order to receive grant money.
The letter singles out the city’s policy that prohibits “respond(ing) to any ICE notification request seeking information about an individual’s incarceration status, length of detention, home address, work address, personal information, hearing information, or pending release.”
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has said he can claw back grants from communities that don’t cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lawrence is receiving $71,811 for a cruiser radio upgrade and has applied to the DOJ for $66,963 to pay for new surveillance cameras and replacement tactical vests.
The letter says Lawrence officials need to explain how they comply with federal law and gives them until Dec. 8 to respond.
“I am not concerned that this letter puts Lawrence in any jeopardy,” Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera said in a statement.
“We have until Dec. 8 to reply and we will do so, after consulting with counsel.”
Washington, D.C., Seattle, San Francisco and all of Vermont, Illinois and Oregon were also on the DOJ list. Lawrence was the only city in Massachusetts to receive a letter, but Boston officials are examining it as well.
“We are currently reviewing this recent communication from the Department of Justice,” said mayoral spokeswoman Nicole Caravella. “However, one thing remains clear — Mayor (Martin J.) Walsh has and always will stand with our immigrant community.”
Boston is set to receive $1 million in DOJ grants this year. The Hub is all but a sanctuary city, since it passed the Trust Act in 2014 that reassures immigrants police will not help deport them.
The letters were sent on the same day that a federal judge ruled in favor of Philadelphia officials who challenged the DOJ’s attempt to strip them of the same type of federal grant money Lawrence could forfeit.
Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, praised that decision and said any attempt to prevent Lawrence — which has long called itself the Immigrant City — from receiving or applying for the grants is also doomed to fail.
“There is no reason to target Lawrence for this selective enforcement and it constitutes an extreme abuse of power,” Espinoza-Madrigal said. “We fully believe Lawrence is in compliance ... and we stand ready to continue to prove that in court.”
‘I am not concerned that this letter puts Lawrence in any jeopardy.’ — DANIEL RIVERA, mayor of Lawrence