In the wake of a chaotic incident involving federal immigration agents detaining a woman and the local police response to the protest that followed, Worcester officials are sharing new footage from the incident and establishing new guidelines for their interactions with federal immigration agents. Worcester officials published footage on Friday from the body cameras worn by three officers involved in the incident and a recording of emergency calls.Video from a witness showed ICE agents moving in on a Brazilian family on Eureka Street on May 8. The agents detained a screaming woman, sparking a protest from a large crowd who attempted to block the agents’ car from leaving, resulting in multiple arrests.The woman was later identified by ICE as Ferreira de Oliveira. According to a statement by ICE, de Oliveira was arrested on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery on a pregnant victim. Body camera footage from police shows officers bringing de Oliveira to the ground while people swarmed the agents. “The body-worn camera footage from the first responding officer will show that the target of ICE’s operation was already detained by federal agents prior to WPD’s arrival and that WPD did not assist ICE with the civil arrest. The footage of a family being torn apart is disturbing to watch but the municipality cannot interfere in or prevent a federal detainment,” City Manager Eric D. Batista said in a statement. Police arrested de Oliveira’s juvenile daughter and school committee candidate Ashley Spring during the incident. As of Friday, police said they would ask for charges against the daughter to be dropped. “Given the totality of circumstances, the Worcester Police Department is requesting that the Court dismiss the case against the juvenile that was arrested during the incident, but it is important to emphasize that assaulting or interfering with law enforcement officers as they carry out their duties is never acceptable. The Worcester Police Department remains committed to fulfilling our responsibilities of protecting all residents of the City of Worcester,” Police Chief Paul Saucier said in a statement. The city said the videos are the first set of recordings, totaling more than 550 minutes of footage, that will be released. “These three videos are the first in what will be the release of all body-worn camera footage that is subject to disclosure, which is footage that does not disclose private personal information,” officials said. Also Friday, Batista issued an executive order specifying that city resources cannot be used for immigration enforcement. The order prohibits city employees from inquiring about immigration status or otherwise allowing immigration status to affect how someone is treated by city officials.”Enforcement of immigration laws is within the jurisdiction of the federal government, not the municipality and as such, municipal resources shall not be used toward that end. The municipality and the WPD are committed to promoting safety in the community regardless of immigration status,” officials wrote. State law already prohibits local authorities from holding someone solely on the basis of a federal civil immigration detainer.Worcester Police Union President Tom Duffy said the incident should have never escalated like it did and that his officers responded to the scene to keep everyone safe.”The video obviously is disturbing, it was an upsetting incident,” Duffy said. “As police officers, we strive to be as compassionate and as caring as we can. The incident was unfortunate. That being said, we don’t assist ICE, we don’t get involved in any of the detentions involving immigration status, it’s not something that we do.”Worcester police said they have dropped charges against the woman’s teenage daughter and her younger daughter.

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