Municipal Protection: For the Dignity and Rights of All People

Last updated on February 02, 2026

Every municipality in Puerto Rico has both the power and the duty to protect all who live within its borders. This campaign promotes the adoption of municipal community protection ordinances, legal tools that prohibit the use of city funds, staff, or resources to enforce federal immigration laws.

These ordinances do not violate any federal law and do not interfere with ICE’s authority. Rather, they ensure that municipalities are not forced to become extensions of the federal deportation system, keeping local budgets focused on public safety, health, and community well-being.

Federal courts have consistently affirmed that local governments are not required to cooperate with ICE. Section 1373 of federal law —often misused— does not impose penalties or require the sharing of information beyond immigration status, nor does it criminalize non-cooperation. Therefore, municipal protection is lawful, constitutional, and essential for building safer, more humane communities.

When residents trust their local officials, they are more likely to report crimes, seek medical care, and engage in civic life. Municipal protection is fundamentally a policy of public safety, justice, and human dignity.

What Municipal Protection Means

- Local autonomy: municipalities decide how best to protect their communities without interfering with federal operations.
- Responsible use of resources: local funds and staff are not used for federal immigration enforcement.
- Legal and transparent: these ordinances fully comply with constitutional and federal law.

- Safety and trust: separating local policing from immigration enforcement builds public confidence and community cooperation.
- Humanity and fairness: affirms that every person deserves dignity and safety, regardless of where they were born.

Why It Matters

Mass immigration raids do not make communities safer — they tear families apart and foster fear.

Each municipality that adopts protection policies reinforces a simple truth:

"Dignity knows no borders, and justice begins locally."

Join the movement: build a network of municipalities that stand for human rights, dignity, and justice for all.

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