PATRICK TO RESCIND PLAN FOR TROOPERS TO ARREST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Governor-elect Deval Patrick announced that soon after taking office he will rescind a recently-signed agreement between Governor Mitt Romney and federal authorities that allows State Police troopers to arrest illegal immigrants. Speaking with reporters the incoming governor said that he believes he has the authority to overturn his predecessor's agreement. He said he believes that state troopers have enough to do without being required to enforce federal immigration laws. Said spokeswoman Cyndi Roy "He believes troopers' time would be better spent working with local law enforcement officials on issues like firearm trafficking, drug use, and gang violence,".

On Dec. 13 Romney signed the controversial agreement that would allow specially deputized state troopers to arrest suspected illegal immigrants and charge them with violating US immigration laws. Unless Patrick intervenes, about 30 troopers are set to take a five-week training course in early January 2007 to begin implementing the new policy, Romney's office said. Under the Massachusetts agreement, troopers from five specialized units would receive training on immigration law from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which would certify the officers to question, detain, and arrest suspected illegal immigrants without warrants.

The troopers now work in elite units that capture violent fugitives, investigate organized crime and gang activity, enforce drug laws, and help local police in high-crime neighborhoods. Officials say that the troopers would arrest only illegal immigrants they encounter while investigating other crimes. "One thing this program is not is for stopping people on the side of the road with taillights out," said Bruce Foucart , special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs's Office of Investigations in Boston. "It is not designed for the migrant worker on the side of the road. It's for the baddest and worst criminal aliens we encounter during the course of criminal investigations."

Several local police officials have voiced concern about the plan. In one of his first official acts as Boston's new police commissioner, in early December Edward F. Davis said he would oppose any effort to enlist city officers in such an agreement, because it would hurt community policing.

Ali Noorani , executive director of the Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, echoed that concern yesterday. He said the agreement will make it more difficult for all police officers to investigate crimes, because immigrants who might be victims or witnesses will be afraid to come forward. But Steven A. Camarota , the director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, praised the agreement, saying troopers can bolster the resources of federal immigration investigators.

- Adapted from: “Patrick set to rescind plan for troopers; Opposes use to arrest illegal immigrants”, By Andrea Estes, The Boston Globe, December 22, 2006 and “Romney OK's pact so troopers can arrest illegal immigrants; But Patrick likely to repeal the deal”, By Jonathan Saltzman, The Boston Globe, December 14, 2006.

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