HULL, Mass. — The coastal beach community of hull is taking on the sanctuary city debate and the outcome of the vote could have a huge impact on the summer business critical to the region.
Monday night, a town meeting started on the issue, but discussion went so long that it needed to be continued until Tuesday.
As the second night of debate began there were outbursts and passionate comments on both sides of the debate.
"I feel like we are being intimidated by the federal government at this point,” one Hull resident said.
The issue has split the town.
"These are people that have come here looking for a better life and hoping for a better life for their children and now we are criminalizing them,” Irwin Nesoff who helped bring the proposal to a vote said.
Somerville, Boston, Cambridge and Amherst are already listed on ICE's sanctuary city list - Hull would be the first on the south shore.
President Donald trump issued an executive order to take away federal funding from these cities, but a California judge recently ruled that that it was unconstitutional.
"We are a welcoming community but what we don't want to do is put a sign that says we are a sanctuary city and therefore please come here,” Catherine Caloya of the Hull Republican Town Committee said.
A vote on the proposal was taken anonymously and voted down 185-102.
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