Bill filed to prohibit municipal police from helping feds with immigration raids

Rep. Swanny Enit Vargas Laureano

By The Star Staff

Popular Democratic Party Rep. Swanny Enit Vargas Laureano has filed legislation that amends the Municipal Code to explicitly prohibit municipal police from entering into collaborative agreements with the federal government to conduct raids against undocumented immigrants on the island.

Public Law 723 aims to amend Section (o) of Article 3.025 of the Municipal Code of Puerto Rico (Act No. 107-2020) in response to urgent concerns raised by immigrant communities, particularly the Dominican community, regarding the federal government’s aggressive immigration operations across the United States.

“Human rights are non-negotiable and do not depend on anyone’s immigration status,” Vargas Laureano said. “As legislators, our duty is to ensure that no local or federal policy permits violations of these rights. Puerto Rico will be a sanctuary for all individuals, free from fear and persecution.”

The bill calls for a clear amendment to the Municipal Code’s language, establishing unequivocally that collaboration between municipal police and federal agencies will not encompass immigration enforcement purposes.

The legislation follows mass protests in Puerto Rico and in the mainland United States against federal immigration policies.

President Donald Trump has promised an expanded immigration crackdown in several large Democratic-led cities as apparent vengeance for the “No Kings” mobilization against his administration over the weekend that drew millions of people – despite questions over whether the agency in charge of the effort is set to run out of money.

Axios reported on Monday that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was $1 billion over budget and on the verge of running out of funds.