Massachusetts County Sheriffs, State DOC Will Re-Up Contracts With Federal Immigration Officials
The Immigration Detention Center at the Bristol County Jail in North Dartmouth. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR
There’s an ongoing battle over just how much Massachusetts authorities can legally partner with federal immigration officials. A Supreme Judicial Court decision in 2017 appeared to offer some clarity.
But now, three county sheriffs and the state’s Department of Correction are pushing the limits of that legal decision.
They’re all re-upping contracts for what’s known as the 287(g) program. The contracts were set to expire at the end of this month, but all of the Massachusetts partners will be cooperating for at least another year.