Authorities have released information stating that Massachusetts sheriff employees are unable to arrest illegal aliens solely based on an immigration violation.
Massachusetts Sheriffs were given instructions by the National Sheriffs’ Association, as stated by Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux. These guidelines specify that individuals from the Sheriff’s Office who are not deputized under 287(g) are not authorized to independently serve or arrest anyone with immigration violation warrants. Only federal agents/officers with immigration authority or state/local officers who have been deputized are permitted to make arrests in such cases.
According to Heroux, this aligns with the guidance provided by the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association and the Massachusetts Chiefs’ Of Police Association.
“The Bristol County Sheriffs’ Office is following the guidance of the MSA, the NSA, and our in-house legal team, which are all consistent in their understanding of our role in federal immigration enforcement.”
“None of the 14 sheriff’s offices in Massachusetts have a 287(g) contract, and therefore none of the 14 sheriffs have been trained or deputized to enforce federal immigration laws.”
Over the weekend, around 700,000 administrative (civil) arrest warrants (I-205) were entered into NCIC, leading to the recent update.