Bristol County Sheriff states national guidance doesn’t allow Massachusetts sheriff employees to arrest illegal aliens on immigration alone

According to information released by authorities, Massachusetts sheriff employees cannot arrest illegal aliens on an immigration violation alone.

According to Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux, Massachusetts Sheriffs received guidance from the National Sheriffs’ Association that “Sheriff’s Office personnel who are not 287(g) deputized cannot serve or arrest anyone on these [immigration violation] warrants by themselves. Arrests on these warrants can only be made by federal agents/officers with immigration authority or a state/local officer who has been deputized.”

Heroux stated that this is consistent with the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association and the Massachusetts Chiefs’ Of Police Association guidance.

“The Bristol County Sheriffs’ Office is following the guidance of the MSA, the NSA, and our in-house legal team, which are all consistent in their understanding of our role in federal immigration enforcement.”

“None of the 14 sheriff’s offices in Massachusetts have a 287(g) contract, and therefore none of the 14 sheriffs have been trained or deputized to enforce federal immigration laws.”

The update came after approximately 700,000 ICE administrative (civil) arrest warrants (I-205) were entered into NCIC over the weekend.