Frequently Asked Questions

What is a “Welcoming Immigration Policy?” 

It is a policy adopted by a city or town that prohibits town employees from asking about people’s immigration status or participating in enforcing federal immigration law. The policy is designed to make sure everyone is treated fairly regardless of immigration status and that everyone feels comfortable utilizing town services.  It also respects federalism by not adding the enforcement of federal immigration law to our town’s responsibilities, which is normally the purview of the federal government level, not states and towns.

Is this the same thing as a “sanctuary” policy?

The news media often refers to these policies as “sanctuary” policies but the term “welcoming” is more accurate because the policy does not provide a physical sanctuary or direct services to immigrants. The “welcoming” language is also more consistent with the approach of other Massachusetts municipalities.

Who is the Natick Welcoming Immigration Coalition?

The Natick Immigrant Welcoming Policy Coalition is a group of Natick residents who are interested in making Natick a fairer and more welcoming place for people of all immigration statuses. 

Is this really a “Natick” issue?

Yes. There are undocumented people who live and work in Natick every day and are a part of the fabric of our community. Natick is an increasingly diverse community especially when it comes to national origin –more than 50% of the incoming kindergarteners at the Natick Public Schools this year speak a language other than English at home and many of their parents are first generation immigrants. Immigration law is very complex. There are people who are in a transitional process from non-immigrant to immigrant, as well as refugees, visa holders and others who are in a position to not have documents at a given time. As Natick becomes more diverse, it is imperative that all our residents feel safe and welcome to fully participate in the life of our town regardless of what their immigration status may be.

Doesn’t Massachusetts already have strong protections for undocumented immigrants?

Massachusetts has some protections in place, but not others. For example, Massachusetts law does not allow police to hold someone in jail at ICE’s request who is otherwise scheduled to be released , but Massachusetts law does allow the police to share information with ICE and ask people about their immigration status.

Have other communities adopted Welcoming Immigration Policies?

Yes. A diverse set of Massachusetts municipalities have adopted these policies including Acton, Newton, Maynard, and many others.  

Is a policy like this legal? 

Yes. As mentioned above, these policies have been adopted by many other Massachusetts communities and in some cases have been on the books for years. Any policy Natick adopts would still allow Natick town employees to comply with federal law, including working with ICE where federal law explicitly requires them to do so.

The Natick police already don’t ask people about their immigration status, so why do we need an official policy?

Adopting a written town policy is important because it ensures that these good practices continue even as leadership and personnel change in various Natick town departments. 

Adopting a policy also provides assurances to people in various immigration statuses who may be hesitant to communicate with town employees or otherwise interact with town government.

Who will decide whether we adopt a Welcoming Immigration Policy in Natick?

Other towns have adopted these policies in different ways including as a by-law passed at Town Meeting as well as a policy adopted by a Select Board. At this point, we are focusing on the Select Board route in Natick. The Select Board Chair has the discretion to decide what items to put on its agenda and when, but our goal is to bring a draft policy before them sometime in the fall of 2023.

I want to help, what can I do?

• Familiarize yourself with what an immigration welcoming policy is and what it is not. Read through our FAQ's for help or email us for more information. 

• Speak with your neighbors and friends about why this is important.

• Come to a meeting and find out more. Let us know you're interested in attending by emailing us.

• If you know people who have questions or are interested in finding out more have them get in touch with us at: WelcomingNatick@gmail.com.