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Committee hears bill to limit local rules blocking immigration arrests in courthouses

Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee · May 28, 2025
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Summary

Sponsor testimony for Senate Bill 172 argued federal immigration enforcement should not be impeded by local rules; the sponsor cited Franklin County court rules and a Boston incident to justify a requirement that public offices permit arrests of people suspected of unlawful presence. Committee members questioned protections for lawful residents.

Senators heard sponsor testimony for Senate Bill 172, which would bar state or local policies that prevent federal immigration officers from arresting or detaining people in public buildings, including courthouses.

Sponsor testimony said the bill responds to local court rules and recent incidents that, the sponsor argued, obstruct federal immigration enforcement. "According to the United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 4, the power to make and enforce immigration laws is reserved to the federal government," the sponsor told the committee, and cited a Department of Homeland Security/ICE memorandum on enforcement "in or near…

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