Innocent until proven guilty? Some Mass. sheriffs are forgetting that applies to immigrants, too.

详细摘要

The PROTECT Act says Massachusetts sheriffs can’t work with ICE the way they used to, and most of the sheriffs don’t seem to like it.

It seems like the notion that someone is innocent until proven guilty is problematic for them. Why else would they be asking the state to let them use federal immigration agents to do an end-run around our justice system?

Among those making the request are sheriffs who should definitely know better, given that they themselves were recently charged with crimes — and enjoyed the presumption of innocence. How soon they forget!

Our story begins in August, when a new state law called The PROTECT Act went into effect. It’s designed to protect people from the rogue ICE militia conducting President Trump’s national deportation surges. Among other measures, it blocks ICE agents from detaining immigrants in areas like public schools, health care settings, and courthouses. And it makes it harder for local authorities, including sheriffs, to help ICE detain immigrants.

The majority of people in our county jails are awaiting trial, many held until they can make bail. They have not been convicted of the crimes they’re charged with and are presumed innocent. Nonetheless, sheriffs were previously able to notify ICE when somebody ICE agents were looking for was released on bail from their lockups.

Then, in many cases, ICE agents swooped in and did what they do: Brutalize people and cart them off to detention centers, including ones out of state. They’ve even fast-tracked deportations so that defendants never get their days in court at all.

The PROTECT Act says sheriffs can’t work with ICE in that way any more, and most of the sheriffs don’t seem to like it.

In late October, a dozen signed a letter to Governor Maura Healey warning that the PROTECT Act contained “an unintended public safety consequence.” They believe bails for some of their inmates are too low, allowing dangerous immigrants to be released back onto the streets.

As an added bonus, the sheriffs’ letter argues, handing over immigrant detainees would mean ICE agents wouldn’t have to go into communities looking for them, putting…

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