GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan made a statement in response to the recent events involving federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota and Maine saying the events “should concern every person who cares about public safety, constitutional rights, and basic human dignity.” The DA also said violations of state law will be investigated and, if evidence warrants, will be prosecuted.
From the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office:
A Statement From District Attorney David E. Sullivan
Recent events involving federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, Maine, and beyond should concern every person who cares about public safety, constitutional rights, and basic human dignity.
The aggressive tactics employed by federal agents are sowing fear and distrust in our communities. Fear is not a public safety strategy. It fractures trust and makes our communities less safe. Law enforcement in our Northwestern District understands how important building trust and respecting civil liberties are in keeping our communities safe.
The rights to free speech and political protest enshrined in the First Amendment are not conditional; they do not disappear or dissipate in moments of political tension or crisis. My office will always stand in defense of the Constitution and the rule of law, and we will not remain silent when government power, at any level, is used in a way that undermines them.
No person is above the law. Any violations of state law committed against the people of the Northwestern District will be thoroughly and impartially investigated, and, if warranted by the evidence, prosecuted in a court of law.