The mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts has vetoed a City Council-passed ordinance that would forbid city employees from inquiring about a person’s immigration status.
Mayor Domenic Sarno said the “Welcoming Community Trust” ordinance would tie the hands of his department heads and potentially put the city in legal jeopardy.
"When you start saying 'It is ok to look the other way, you don't have to enforce this, you don't have to enforce that'," Sarno said it could open a pandora's box.
Supporters of the measure say Sarno’s concerns are unfounded. Proponents of the ordinance say it will make Springfield safer by fostering trust between local officials and immigrants, regardless of their legal status.
The City Council will need nine votes to override the veto when it takes it up in January.
The ordinance was passed on a 10-3 vote.