Natick Select Board Approves Formalized Immigration Policy

NATICK, MA — After a series of meetings, contentiousness from residents and even an act of vandalism against a sitting board member, Natick has approved an immigration and documentation policy that, for all intents and purposes, they've already been adhering to.

Natick's Select Board has officially approved its new policy by a unanimous vote at a Wednesday meeting.

The policy has been deemed controversial in the response it garnered from oppositional voices who said it would qualify Natick as a "sanctuary city," but officials said the policy itself isn't actually all that new.

The immigration documentation policy is a formalization of what town departments are already doing, officials said.

Essentially, the policy states that town employees don't have the clearance to enforce federal immigration policy and, thus, won't ask for proof of immigration paperwork except in the cases they are required by law to do so.

This policy also "shields the town from liability should a town employee violate the policy."
The policy is not, officials stated in a pre-meeting fact sheet, an "offer to provide shelter, housing, legal assistance, or other services to immigrants, documented or undocumented."

It also doesn't "conflict with Natick Police Department policy" or "create a 'sanctuary town,'" officials said.

• Natick Immigration Documentation Policy Fact Sheet

Natick police have also issued a new policy, stating that officers won't hold anyone on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer, and won't participate in any operations from that federal agency.

The Select Board presented a draft of this policy on Nov. 20, which prompted a public response with people on both sides of the aisle. A memo about the policy states that town discussions about practices surrounding immigration have been ongoing since at least October 2022.

• Read The Full Memo Here