As Somerville Voices‘ Barry Rafkind uncovered through a MuckRock request, the Somerville Police Department referred nine individuals to federal immigration officials between January 2009 and April 2010 for a range of alleged offenses ranging from prostitution to narcotics trafficking to possession of stolen property.

Now the question Barry poses is, would these notifications have been made under the new policy, in which Mayor Curtatone states checking immigration status “undermine[s] the ability of local police to build trust with the city’s immigrant population and effectively protect the neighborhoods where those immigrants live”? Read Barry’s reporting or check the facts and decide.

Want to know how federal immigration laws are being enforced in your town? Take a look at Barry’s request, and then submit a request on MuckRock yourself.

Image via Wikimedia Commons