BOSTON — State Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven called on state officials to cut resources to ICE and kick immigration officers out of Massachusetts.
“We need to get ICE the [expletive] out of Massachusetts,” said the Somerville Democrat in a message on social media. “The Massachusetts State House needs to be doing everything it can to stop ICE from killing, abducting, detaining, and deporting our neighbors.”
Uyterhoeven’s message is similar to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s expletive-ridden response last week to the fatal ICE shooting in his city.
The Trump administration maintains ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot Renee Nicole Good in self-defense, as Vice President J.D. Vance announced he has “absolute immunity” from prosecution.
Protestors in Minnesota and beyond call the incident murder.
“Just because these are federal agents doesn’t mean they are completely immune from state prosecution,” said Uyterhoeven. “Murder, abduction, breaking people’s car windows, assault, all these things are illegal under state law.”
Calling on Massachusetts officials to hold ICE accountable for breaking state laws, Uyterhoeven urged the attorney general and district attorneys to consider prosecuting potential crimes by immigration officers and pushed for harsher criminal penalties.
Uyterhoeven outlined two other ways she believes would limit ICE’s operations in Massachusetts, including eliminating the agency’s ability to use geolocation tracking to find undocumented immigrants.
Uyterhoeven also wants to get rid of the state’s 287(g) agreement, a partnership between ICE and the Massachusetts Department of Corrections that authorizes local law enforcement to act as immigration agents and process jailed undocumented immigrants for deportation.
Former Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson told Boston 25 News he used the 287(g) program for years to remove dangerous criminals who were unlawfully in the country.
“This representative ought to be ashamed of herself. And frankly, she ought to resign from the position she’s in,” Hodgson said. “Instead of telling the criminal illegal aliens to get the hell out of Massachusetts and out of this country, you’re tell the law enforcement officers who are in there trying to protect the citizens against these criminal aliens, ‘You stay the hell out of Massachusetts.’”
Amy Carnevale, chair of MassGOP, also shared her support for ICE in response to Uyterhoeven’s post.
“While some criticize from the sidelines, Massachusetts Republicans stand shoulder to shoulder with those who run toward danger, protect our communities, and uphold the rule of law every single day,” Carnevale said in a statement.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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