Cambridge City Council amend the Municipal Ordinances of the City of Cambridge to insert a new Chapter 2.129, entitled WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE

“Immigration detainers” and “ICE detainers” are requests made by federal immigration officials, including but not limited to those authorized under Section 287.7 of Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations to local Law Enforcement or Courts to voluntarily maintain custody of an individual once that individual is released from local custody, and/or to notify a federal agency before the pending release of an individual.

“ICE administrative warrant” means a warrant, notice to appear, removal order, warrant of deportation, or other ICE custody document (I-200, I-203, I-205 or another listed in the National Crime Information Database (NCIC)) issued by a federal immigration official, not a judicial officer, and not based on a finding of probable cause for an alleged criminal law violation.

2.129.040 - ORDER

a. Equal treatment. Cambridge will treat all persons equally, enforce laws, and serve the public without consideration of immigration status. Citizenship, immigration status, national origin, race, and ethnicity shall have no bearing on an individual's treatment by employees or officers of Cambridge agencies or departments. Inquiries about immigration status. Officers and employees of the city may not inquire about the immigration status of any victim, suspect, arrestee, 911 caller, or other member of the public with whom they have contact, except as required to provide a public benefit.

b. Role of police in immigration enforcement. The city’s police department will not initiate investigations or take law enforcement action on the sole basis of actual or perceived immigration status, including the initiation of a stop, an apprehension or arrest. The Cambridge Police Department shall not take part in or assist with federal immigration enforcement operations, with the exception that the Department will actively assist in Federal human trafficking operations.

c. ICE detainers and administrative warrants. Consistent with Massachusetts law, no officer or employee of the Cambridge Police Department may arrest or detain an individual solely on the basis of an ICE detainer or ICE administrative warrant. This includes extending the length of detention by any amount of time once an individual is released from local custody, or before being transferred to court or admitted to bail.

d. Federal requests for information. No officer or employee of a the Cambridge Police Department shall provide a federal officer with the following information relating to a person in the custody of the Department: information about an individual’s incarceration status, length of detention, home address, work address, personal information other than citizenship or immigration status, hearing information, or pending release, except information that is available through the Massachusetts Public Records Laws, G.L, c. 66, section 10 and G.L. c. 4, section 7 (twenty-sixth).

e. Encountering persons driving without a license. When acting against a person who is found to be driving without a valid driver’s license, officers of the Cambridge Police Department shall, whenever possible and if there are no other violations causing the person to be arrested, issue a summons to court instead of taking the person into custody. In such circumstances, the law enforcement officer taking action shall endeavor to provide the driver a reasonable opportunity to arrange for a properly licensed operator to drive the vehicle before seeking to impound the vehicle.

f. Notice to individuals subject to ICE interventions. If the Cambridge Police Department receives an immigration detainer or ICE administrative warrant for a person in its custody, the Department shall provide the person with a copy of such detainer request or administrative warrant, and any other documentation it possesses pertaining to the person’s immigration case.

g. ICE access to facilities. Except in response to a judicial warrant or other court order, ICE agents shall not be allowed access to individuals in custody either in person or via telephone or videoconference.

h. U Visa Certification. In furtherance of the US Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act, the Cambridge Police Department shall consider a U Visa certification request if an individual (i.) is the victim of a qualifying crime, and (ii.) has been, is being, or will likely be helpful in the investigation/prosecution of that crime.

i. Raids and other immigration enforcement actions. No officer or employee of the Cambridge Police Department may participate in an operation led by a federal agency to detain persons for deportation purposes, except in response to a request to assist with support services deemed necessary to ensure officer safety or to prevent a breach of the peace during a federal operation, such as requests to establish traffic perimeters, control traffic or provide police escort.

j. Deputizing of local officials. No officer or employee of the Cambridge Police Department shall perform the functions of an immigration officer, whether pursuant to 8 U.S.C. section 1357(g) or any other law, regulation, or policy, whether formal or informal.

k. School records and enrollment. No employee of the Cambridge Public Schools shall require a student or parent to provide information regarding their immigration or citizenship status to establish the student’s residency in the district for enrollment purposes. If such information becomes known to an employee of the Cambridge Public Schools, such information shall not be kept or distributed, and shall have no bearing of the student’s ability to register for school or the school’s treatment of that student.

Information collected regarding place of birth for the purpose of providing English Language Learners with appropriate services shall be used only for that purpose and not distributed further.

2.129.050 - COMPLAINTS

Allegations of violations of the present policy and may be filed with the City Manager’s Office and in the case of a complaint against an officer or employee of the Cambridge Police Department, the Department’s Professional Standards Unit, who shall investigate the complaint and take appropriate disciplinary action.

2.129.060 - REPORTING

Beginning on the date of passage of this ordinance and every six months thereafter, the Cambridge Police Commissioner shall submit a report, with the information detailed below, to the Clerk of the city forward to the City Manager, docket said report, and include the docket on the agenda of the next-occurring meeting of the Public Safety Committee of the City.