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The sheriff said he feels a duty to protect the people of Worcester County: “I think that’s a dereliction of responsibility, frankly,” he told Newsweek. “I believe I took an oath as Worcester County Sheriff to protect the people of my county.”

Since the Lunn ruling, there has been an increase in ICE detainers issued for individuals in his custody.  94 detainers were issued, so far, this year. This is up from 67 last year and 49 the year prior. 

This issue has drawn attention statewide, particularly after recent incidents involving the release of individuals accused of violent crimes due to ignored ICE detainers.

 In September, ICE detained half a dozen individuals on , three of whom were accused of raping children.

 In another case, a Guatemalan man accused of raping a child was released after his ICE detainer was ignored, sparking outrage among Massachusetts Republicans.

Calls for Legislative Action

In response to these cases, Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale expressed concern, stating, “Not allowing courts to recognize ICE detainers puts the safety of residents at risk and enables dangerous predators to hide within our communities.” 

Sheriff Evangelidis advocates for legislation requiring state agencies to honor ICE detainers for a specified period without violating individuals’ civil rights. He argues that such a law would allow law enforcement to better protect the public: 

“I would hope people would want their law enforcement officials to have the ability and almost [be] mandated to work with Homeland Security to identify people who are in this country illegally, committing crimes,” he said.

Until reform is enacted, the sheriff intends to notify ICE, whenever possible, to allow officers time to take custody of detained individuals. 

He stresses the importance of collaboration and believes the state’s current policy limits effective communication with federal agencies. “Sharing of information on everybody, not unilaterally deciding ‘we’re not going to cooperate. We’re not going to do this,’” he added, cautioning that this approach undermines public safety.

Sheriff Evangelidis and other concerned citizens hope that Massachusetts lawmakers will revisit the issue to balance public safety with fair treatment, ensuring the state’s policies serve all residents responsibly.