Bristol Co. Sheriff supporting bill to allow arrests based on immigration status

BRISTOL COUNTY, Mass. — The Bristol County sheriff is supporting a bill on Beacon Hill that would allow law enforcement to arrest people solely based on their immigration status.

“Having no bill at all, law enforcement's going to be set back dramatically in our ability to keep these people who shouldn't be out (of their country) from getting out,” said Sheriff Tom Hodgson.

The sheriff says law enforcement would only arrest and hold a person if Immigration and Customs Enforcement puts a detainer on someone.

“It's not profiling.  It's simply just honoring what another agency has identified as a concern for the people of the community,” said the sheriff.

The state court recently ordered that officers are not allowed to arrest people solely based on their immigration status.

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Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson wants that changed.

The sheriff is not one to shy from controversy; he campaigned for President Donald Trump and still advises the White House on the issue of immigration.

The governor does not support the bill and instead advocates for arresting immigrants who are deemed dangerous. Gov. Charlie Baker introduced his own bill that would, "allow the State Police to honor specific detainers for violent and dangerous criminals, convicted of crimes like murder and rape. The governor's proposal does not authorize law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration policy,” according to a spokesperson.

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Hodgson says the governor's plan doesn't go far enough.

“We can't start having different communities picking or choosing how much of a federal law or none of it that we want to follow.  If you don't like the laws, there's a process in place,” he said.

The bill is currently working its way through the legislative process; it's one of three that address this issue, including the governor's.

The governor’s office said Baker will carefully review any legislation that comes to his desk on the issue.

Cox Media Group