Immigration Clearinghouse

Two Massachusetts law enforcement agencies have announced that they are no longer enrolled in a controversial program that allows them enforce federal immigration laws.

The Framingham police and the Barnstable County sheriff’s department announced Thursday they were withdrawing from the federal program immigrant advocates said deterred immigrants from reporting crimes.

Framingham Chief Steven Carl said he was withdrawing because federal officials pressured the department to broaden its enforcement. He said federal officials wanted his department to detain immigrants, transport them and even testify in immigration court.

Police say that could alienate an already reticent immigrant community.

“We want them to report crimes,” said Police Chief Steven Carl. “We want them to call us when they’re victims. We don’t want them to be afraid of us. If we participated in the full (program), they’d be terrified of us.”

ICE’s wish would also have stretched an already understaffed department and cost a cash-strapped town more money, Carl said yesterday.

The original memo of understanding allowed Framingham Police to tap into a database to help investigate violent crimes.

Police spokesman Lt. Paul Shastany acknowledges the department has been caught in the middle of a debate on immigration enforcement. Some say the police are doing too much, others charge they’re not doing enough.

That division was reflected in the community as the news of Framingham dropping out of the federal program broke late yesterday.

Vera Dias Freitas, a local leader in the Brazilian community, said it is “wise that Framingham is pulling out of the program.”

“The reality is the existence of immigrants is everywhere,” she said. “What needs to be done is immigration reform where people are able to find a pathway to citizenship. No one wants to be living in the shadows. We should be looking for ways to support such reform.”