Cambridge Prohibits Immigration Enforcement on City Property

Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 signed an executive order Thursday prohibiting federal immigration enforcement on all city property, joining a growing effort across Greater Boston to limit such operations, which city officials say pose risks to public safety.

Under the order, city-owned and controlled property — including parking lots, public parks, and open space —may not be used as “a staging area, processing location, operations base, or other supporting location” for federal immigration enforcement.

Thursday’s order comes amid heightened national scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics. Similar policies have been adopted by several members of the Metro Mayors Coalition, including Boston, Chelsea, Lynn, Newton, and Somerville.

“The federal tactics we have seen around the country have created fear, mistrust, and real risks to public safety,” Huang wrote in a press release. We do not control federal policy, but we will stand up for our community and act to ensure transparency and accountability for federal actions.”

The city will identify properties that officials believe “could be used” for immigration enforcement and post signage indicating that the property is city-owned, and therefore barred from use by federal agents under the order.

“City-owned and City-controlled property is not available to the general public for similar activities; civil immigration enforcement operations are not an exception,” the order read.

The city also announced plans to provide template signage for private property owners who wish to prohibit the use of their spaces for immigration enforcement activities.

The order adds additional policies governing the Cambridge Police Department’s conduct during immigration enforcement operations. Among them is a requirement that the city publicly release body-camera and surveillance footage depicting “violence or property damage” caused by federal agents.

The order also encourages residents who believe they have witnessed Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity to contact CPD, and requires Cambridge officers to respond to reported activity and, if necessary, “prevent the observed official’s use of unnecessary or unreasonable force.”

“Calling 9-1-1 is an appropriate response to any attempts by unidentifiable individuals, including those who claim to be federal officials but have not provided identification, to enter a private residence without a warrant,” the order read.

The order is the strictest set of guidelines the city has passed to limit immigration enforcement so far, expanding the existing Welcoming Community Ordinance, which the city first adopted in 2020.

The ordinance — which bars local law enforcement from voluntarily cooperating with federal agencies — was last amended in August to prevent CPD from assisting with any immigration enforcement in the city.

“Standing with the Metro Mayors Coalition and reaffirming our Welcoming Community, Cambridge is drawing a clear line: our responsibility is to protect people, and we will use every lawful tool available to hold federal actors accountable when their actions undermine public safety and cause harm,” Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui wrote in the press release.

City officials also publicly condemned ICE actions in Minnesota last week, including the recent fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Cambridge — like many sanctuary cities across the country — has faced heightened criticism from the Trump administration for “deliberately obstructing” immigration enforcement as a result of the ordinance.

The executive order reiterates that CPD “shall not participate in federal civil immigration enforcement operations” and emphasizes that department’s obligation to maintain public safety during any such activity.

Thursday's order further specific that Cambridge officers are required to intervene if they observe the use of excessive force by any law enforcement official.

“If any CPD officer observes any law enforcement official using or attempting to use physical force, including deadly force, beyond that which is necessary or objectively reasonable based on the totality of circumstances, the CPD officer shall intervene,” the order read.

The order concluded by stating that nothing in the directive should be interpreted to restrict or interfere with the “lawful conduct of civil immigration enforcement” or to instruct law enforcement officers to take actions that could escalate interactions with federal officials or cause harm.

Federal immigration enforcement activity in the Greater Boston Area intensified last year, when immigration officials conducted a weekslong operation across Massachusetts that resulted in more than 1,000 arrests. Immigration officers have since been seen operating sporadically in Boston and neighboring cities, though no similarly large-scale operation has occurred in recent months.

—Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at shawnb.18. Follow him on X @ShawnBoehmer.

—Staff writer Claire A. Michal can be reached at [email protected].