Is Massachusetts a so-called sanctuary state? Is Boston a sanctuary metropolis?
Conservatives definitely assume so.
However Democrats like Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have completely different solutions to what has turn out to be a lightning-rod dialogue round immigration to the Bay State and the extent to which federal immigration authorities ought to work together with native regulation enforcement.
Healey made clear this previous week that Massachusetts is “not a sanctuary state” when requested whether or not President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, succeeded in his pledge to carry “hell” to Boston when he visited town earlier this month.
“State and local police continue to cooperate with federal law enforcement, federal agencies,” stated Healey, who’s operating for reelection. “As a former attorney general, I can assure you that I’m doing everything I can to support the work of those in law enforcement to address issues of crime in communities. I’ll also remind people that Massachusetts is among the safest states in the country.”
It’s not a brand new line from Healey.
The governor has repeatedly stated the state, together with the Massachusetts State Police, cooperates with federal immigration authorities the place they’ll. A seven-year-old courtroom choice additionally bars police and courts from detaining folks based mostly solely on suspected civil immigration violations.
Wu, who’s operating for reelection this 12 months towards the son of a billionaire (and probably a well-connected developer), has taken a special tact to approaching the problem, together with throughout a Congressional listening to and an look on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”
The Roslindale Democrat has declared Boston because the “safest major city” within the nation and instructed lawmakers in Washington that “a city that’s scared is not a city that’s safe.”
Throughout her look on the “The Daily Show,” host Ronny Chieng requested Wu what she says to folks in her constituency who really feel like those that are illegally within the nation ought to be arrested and deported.
The mayor stated Boston is “the safest city because we’re safe for everyone.”
“In a community where over a quarter of your residents … were born in another country, if people are afraid to drop their kids off at school or call 911 when they need help or share information when they actually have information to report about a crime that happened, that makes everyone less safe, whether or not you are an immigrant, whether or not you are here in this country six generations or just arrived,” she stated.
She additionally pushed again on the “false narrative” that immigrants usually tend to commit crimes or trigger hurt.
“That is simply not true,” Wu stated. “We know that in our city, where our immigrant communities are entrepreneurs, are holding up the best hospitals in the country, the universities and jobs that we all rely on. And in order to make sure that we can keep that progress going, everyone has to feel part of it,” she stated.
Wu and Healey are interesting to barely completely different teams of voters.
Healey is set to face a Republican challenger subsequent 12 months who is bound to harp on the price of the state-run shelter system, which got here to accommodate hundreds of migrant households however has since seen a decline within the variety of new arrivals.
The governor additionally wants to attract in voters from throughout the state, a lot of whom have shifted barely to the correct over the last presidential election and have proven a willingness to elect conservatives to the manager workplace previously.
Wu is operating in a solidly Democratic metropolis the place elected officers argue they’ve shed the age-old stereotype of being essentially the most racist metropolis in America and embraced extra numerous and inclusive insurance policies.
Native politicians have additionally made clear they again town’s Belief Act, an ordinance that bars metropolis coverage and different departments from cooperating with federal immigration authorities on civil detainers.
Each Healey and Wu seem to have some need to ascend to the nationwide stage.
The jury continues to be out on which message on immigration will assist them get there.
Initially Printed:
