(City of Boston)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston Mayor Marty Walsh signed the Trust Act Thursday afternoon, a series of ordinances defining the distinct roles and responsibilities of the Boston Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The act expands Boston's "sanctuary city" policy by imposing new limits on how Boston Police can handle immigration matters.
It calls on the BPD not to ask individuals about their immigration status, act as federal immigration officers, make arrests solely based on ICE warrants, transfer anyone into ICE custody, or share information with ICE.
Walsh signed the first iteration of the act in 2014.
The new amendments distinguish between ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations and their Homeland Security Investigations divisions; Boston Police will continue to work with ICE on public safety issues, they just won't work with them on civil immigration enforcement.
In a statement, Walsh thanked the staff and advocates who worked on the ordinance, saying it would make the city stronger.
"Updating the Trust Act is a step we take proudly as a city that allows us to continue leading with our values," Walsh wrote. "Over the past few years, we've seen national rhetoric on immigration take an ugly and dangerous turn, even in an immigrant-friendly city like Boston. We need to take a stand, and this updated version will bolster trust in our communities and protect public safety."
The Boston City Council unanimously approved the ordinance last week.
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