Mass. police chiefs back compromise immigration bill

BOSTON (AP) — Major police organizations threw their support on Tuesday behind revamped legislation that would limit, but not entirely restrict, collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials in Massachusetts.

Supporters are billing the measure as a compromise between an earlier proposal — dubbed the Safe Communities Act — that sought to make Massachusetts a de facto “sanctuary state” for immigrants in the U.S. illegally, and a measure filed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker that would allow police to cooperate with immigration officials by holding people who have committed violent crimes and are considered dangerous.

The Baker administration, however, signaled that it would not immediately back the redrafted bill unveiled by Democratic lawmakers at a Statehouse news conference.

“No compromise is perfect but doing nothing would be incomprehensible,” said Rep. Juanita Matias, of Lawrence, who sponsored it with Sen. Jamie Eldridge, of Acton.

Under the measure, police departments would be authorized to honor detain- er requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement for up to six hours if a person who is arrested has been previously convicted of serious crimes such as terrorism, drug trafficking, sexual assault and domestic violence. The proposed compromise was endorsed by the Massachusetts Police Chiefs Association and the Massachusetts Major City Police Chiefs Association, two organizations that had previously supported Baker’s bill.

“It is our belief that this important legislative change will absolutely enhance safety in our respective communities by preventing dangerous individuals who meet certain criteria based on their criminal records from being released back into our cities and towns to potentially reoffend and commit further acts of violence,” said Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes.