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    Jesse Gordon for Randolph Town Council > Events> Welcoming Resolution

    Welcoming Town Designation for Randolph


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    Welcoming Town Resolution
    Click here to download Welcoming Town petition

    In 2018, the Randolph Democratic Town Committee (RDTC) and Our Revolution Massaschusetts-Randolph (ORMAR) discussed the "Sanctuary City" issue, and I offered the "Welcoming Town Resolution" below. The difference between the two is that a "Sanctuary City" requires that Randolph authorities oppose federal immigration laws, while a "Welcoming Town" requires that Randolph authorities don't volunteer to enforce any additional federal immigration laws.

    I wrote the "Welcoming Town Resolution" to simply describe the current Randolph police practice on immigration -- after discussion with our police chief, plus outside police -- this resolution lays out existing police department policy, reaffirming that policy within state law, without proposing any changes to that policy. The goal would be to publicize to residents (and especially to immigrants) that Randolph police do not and will not ask them for their immigration status papers if residents approach the police, or when the police stop residents for traffic violations, for example. The purpose would be to improve relations between police and our immigrant population -- so that legal immigrants would know that they could talk to the police freely; report crimes; assist with investigations; and not worry about having their papers checked.

    The RDTC presented this resolution in one-on-one meetings with each of the 9 Town Councilors. Four indicated support (Adams, Clerger, Clifton, Huff-Larmond); five indicated opposition (Alexopoulos, Alexopoulos, Burgess, Egan, Goldstein). In other words, the majority of the Randolph Town Council does not believe that current Randolph police policy should be publicized, or that Randolph Police practices should be made more strict than they currently are, or some other reason to oppose this simple and obvious resolution.

    Because the Town Council would not vote to support this resolution, we initiated a "charter petition" -- when 250 people sign, the Town Council is then required to hold a public hearing on the issue, and then hold a public vote. We believe that a public hearing, where residents and immigrants express support for the resolution publicly, would persuade one or more of the recalcitrant Town Councilors to change their mind, and support the current Randolph Police practices!


    Welcoming Town Petition

    We, the below-signed registered voters of the town of Randolph Massachusetts, hereby request that the Town Council adopt the "WelcomingTown Resolution" in its entirety; the resolution says in summary:
    • The Randolph police shall not detain any person solely to investigate their immigration status
    • The Randolph police shall not inquire into immigration status of any persons seeking police assistance
    • The Randolph police shall not offer assistance to immigration authorities beyond what is legally required
    • These practices represent the long-standing practices of the Randolph police.


    Please download and sign our petition, and we will bring it to the Town Council to require a public hearing and a vote!

Committee to Elect Jesse Gordon, 52 West St, Randolph MA 02368

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