The Resistance Center has partnered with community organizers across Western Massachusetts on a series of campaigns to pass “safe city” measures, which limit collaboration between local officials and federal immigration agencies in order to build community trust and defend the civil rights of immigrants and their families. A trend is taking hold across the valley, the state, and the country. Communities are taking steps at a local level to protect the safety and dignity of all of their residents, regardless of immigration status. In 2019 alone, Northampton, Springfield, Easthampton, and Greenfield have all passed safe city ordinances, ensuring that their communities are welcoming and safe for everyone.

Safe City ordinances ensure that local police are not burdened with the responsibilities of federal immigration enforcement agents and that all residents can feel safe in their community. When immigrants and their families can interact with police and other officials without fear, crime rates drop and public safety increases. Furthermore, when local police are no longer expected to do the job of federal agencies, they’re able to focus their limited resources on community concerns. In municipalities that have passed these measures, we’ve seen that when communities stand up to defend the civil rights of immigrants and their families, the whole city sees benefits.