Town Manager Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Collaboration with ICE
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Town Manager Paul Bockelman signed an executive order on March 3, reaffirming the town’s commitment to protect the constitutional rights of all residents, regardless of their immigration status. The order states that immigration enforcement is solely the province of the federal government, and the Amherst Police Department shall not participate in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions nor hold people whom ICE detains for immigration violations. Also, no federal immigration officers will be allowed in non-public areas of municipal buildings without a signed judicial warrant. The order further affirms the town’s long-standing commitment to protect the rights and safety of peaceful protestors and to provide medical assistance to anyone injured in the course of immigration enforcement actions.
Bockelman said, “Recent Federal enforcement initiatives have undermined public safety in the Town of Amherst, which relies on the trust by the public of its municipal government and police department. I issued this Executive Order to reinforce our dedication to upholding values articulated clearly by the town. The Executive Order makes clear what the town – through its employees and public safety officers – will and won’t do. In particular, the town will not participate in Federal immigration enforcement activities that could undermine public trust or deter residents from accessing essential services, reporting crimes, cooperating with investigations, or sending children to school.”
The detailed order reinforces the town’s recent resolution “Calling for Federal Immigration Agents to Be Held Accountable for Violations of Massachusetts Criminal Law” which passed by the Town Council in a 9-0-2 vote on February 23 (see also here).
On that resolution, Town Council President Mandi Jo Hanneke said, “This resolution underscores our dedication to safeguarding the rights of our residents. We have seen unlawful actions by Federal immigration agents, and we will not tolerate it in Amherst. We are committed to justice for all and to ensuring that any misconduct will be met with accountability.”
And Town Councilor Jill Brevik, who sponsored the resolution, said, “This resolution came about in response to many requests for our town leadership to take action on this issue, and reports of ICE’s operations impacting residents of Amherst and surrounding communities directly. We know that when any of our neighbors have their rights stripped away, none of us can take those rights for granted. Silence and complying in advance created the environment that has enabled ICE agents to commit crimes and human rights abuses, and as a result, it is critically important for our local and state-level leaders to speak loudly and take clear action to fight back and change course. The work doesn’t end here, and I look forward to staying engaged. And I hope Amherst’s resolution kicks off a wave of similar resolutions in cities and towns across the state.”
Bockelman’s entire executive order is reproduced below.
AMHERST TOWN MANAGER
EXECUTIVE ORDER
March 3, 2026
I, Paul Bockelman, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Town Manager for the Town of Amherst, pursuant to the Amherst Home Rule Chatterl and in accordance with the Mission and Values of the municipality2 do hereby order and direct the following:
1. PURPOSE
The Town of Amherst (“Town”) is a welcoming community that provides services to all and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive community through its delivery of exceptional public services and municipal operations rooted in equity, innovation, and integrity, and centered on people.3 Public safety is strengthened when the Town’s residents trust its local government and police department and residents are not deterred from repotting crimes, cooperating with investigations, sending children to school, and accessing necessary public services provided by the Town.
The Town and the Amherst Police Depaffment (“APD”) are committed to promoting safety in the community regardless of immigration status.
Civil immigration enforcement is within the exclusive jurisdiction and responsibility of the Federal government, not the Town. The increase of the Federal government’s immigration enforcement activity across the nation has created a level of uncertainty and lack of information producing fear among many in our community. Tactics currently being used by Federal civil immigration enforcement officers are undermining public safety in Amherst.
This order establishes guidelines for local response and involvement in Federal enforcement of immigration laws and operations including investigations and civil detainments performed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officers, Customs and Border Protection, or any similar agency or successor agency tasked with civil immigration enfot•cement or working in concert with ICE or Customs and Border Protection.
1 See, e.g., Amherst Town Charter, 551.6, 3.2, etseq.
2 On February 23, 2026, by a vote of Amherst Town Council, the Council approved a Resolution Calling for Federal Immigration Agents to be Held Accountable for Violations of Massachusetts Criminal Law. 3 Amherst General Bylaws, Article I, Sanctuary Community.
2. POLICY
Municipal employees, officers, and officials, hereinafter collectively referred to as “Municipal employees,” shall not inquire about immigration status nor shall immigration status invact the treatment of a resident, victim, suspect, arrestee, 911 caller, or another member of the public with whom a Municipal employee has contact.
In accordance with Massachusetts law, the APD shall not initiate investigations or take law enforcement action solely on the basis of immigration status, including without limitation, the initiation of a stop, an apprehension, or arrest. The APD recognizes that it has no legal authority to enforce Federal civil immigration law and as such, no person will be arrested, detained, or held by the APD solely on the basis of a Federal civil immigration detainer, including extending the length of detention by any amount of time once an individual is released from local custody, or before being transferred to court or admitted to bail. [1]
Municipal employees do not carry out Federal civil immigration enforcement, and as such, shall not participate in an operation led by a Federal agency solely for the enforcement of Federal civil immigration laws, except in response to a request to assist with support services deenled necessary to ensure officer safety; public safety; to prevent a breach of the peace during a Federal operation including requests to establish traffic perimeters, control traffic, or provide police escort; or in response to an arrest warrant or other judicial order issued by a judge or magistrate sitting in the judicial branch of state government or of the Federal government, authorizing an arrest.
APD recognizes that its officers shall not perform the functions of an immigration officer, whether pursuant to 8 U,S,C. 1357(g) or any other law, regulation, or policy, whether formal or informal. When responding to calls related to ICE activity, the APD shall take reasonable steps to verify that the individuals on scene are Federal agents and gather relevant information.
Municipal employees shall not provide access to non-public areas of Municipal buildings unless required by a valid judicial warrant or court order issued by a judge or magistrate sitting in the judicial branch of state government or of the Federal government, or other applicable law. Municipal employees shall not provide access to records or information where said records are exempted by applicable provisions of the public records law.
Town-owned and controlled land and resources must be preserved for the essential functions of local government, including public safety, and shall not be commandeered or expended for Federal civil immigration enforcement actions. The Town prohibits the use of its property, including parking lots, garages, parks, and/or buildings, including the interior or exterior areas of any parcel upon which a building is located, for staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases for Federal civil immigration enforcement actions.
The Town shall not enter into any agreements under section 287(g) of the Federal Inunigration and Nationality Act, or any substantially similar agreement or arrangement solely for Federal civil immigration enforcement functions.
3. COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW
The Town and the APD will uphold state and Federal constitutional rights of all persons, regardless of immigration status. Law enforcement officials in Massachusetts do not have the authority to arrest or carry out detention requests made solely in response Federal civil immigration detainers or ICE administrative warrants. Within APD’s Immigrant Population Policy, APD does not assist or carry out any Federal immigration enforcement, does not detain individuals solely on civil immigration detainers, and does not inquire with anyone regarding their immigration status. The APD shall not arrest, detain, or investigate an individual solely based on an alleged civil violation of Federal immigration laws.
APD is recognized as a professional law enforcement agency certified in accordance with the
Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) regulation 550 CMR
I .00, el seq. and G.L. c. 6E, and has been an accredited agency through the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission since 2001. APD officers shall investigate allegations of criminal conduct within its jurisdiction, in accordance with local, state, and Federal law.
No Municipal employee, officer, or official shall obstruct, interfere, prohibit, or otherwise prevent the Federal enforcement of immigration laws, including Federal investigations, enforcement operations, or ICE detainers. The Town will maintain a high level of professionalism with clear legal boundaries with a goal of public safety and community trust.
Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan, as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for Hampshire County, stated that his office “will always stand in defense of the Constitution and the rule of law, and we will not remain silent when government power, at any level, is used in a way that undermines them. No person is above the law. Any violations of state law committed against the people of the Northwestern District will be thoroughly and impartially investigated, and, if warranted by the evidence, prosecuted in a court of law.”
Municipal employees shall cooperate with lawful investigations within their jurisdiction of alleged illegal acts by Federal agents by collecting and preserving evidence within their custody or possession of potentially unlawful actions under applicable law.
4. DE-ESCALATION AND PROVISION OF FIRST AID
The Town of Amherst through its public safety agencies recommits to its long-standing practice that established protocols are used to protect peaceful protestors and prioritize public safety across the Town.
In the event that any person is injured in the course of immigration enforcement actions or related protests at which Municipal employees are present, those Municipal employees shall immediately summon emergency medical services. Medical service providers shall make all reasonable efforts to render aid according to long-standing protocols established by the Amherst Police Department, the Amherst Fire Department, the Amherst Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) Department, and the Amherst Public Health Department.
5. SCOPE
Nothing in this Executive Order shall be construed to require action inconsistent with any applicable state or Federal law, regulation or policy, to diminish the statutory authority of any executive-branch entity, or to require action that would be inconsistent with other legal requirements for a state or Federally supported or funded program. Nothing in this Executive Order shall be construed to restrict or interfere with the execution of lawful judicial warrants or judicial orders or the enforcement of criminal law.
This Executive Order shall take effect on March 3, 2026 and shall remain in effect until repealed by a subsequent Executive Order.
[1] Lunn v. Commonwealth, 477 Mass. 517 (2017).