Newton Mayor Marc Laredo met with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and other mayors from across the region on Thursday to take a stand against Immigration & Customs Enforcement violence.

Newton has had a “Welcoming City” ordinance (similar to a sanctuary city policy) for years. And for the past several months, news coverage and videos on social media have shown masked ICE agents carrying out raids, teargassing people, and shooting people in Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., and elsewhere as the Trump administration follows through with its promises of mass-deportations and immigration raids, and cracks down on protests.

“As Mayor, I remain committed to the safety, dignity, and well-being of every person who lives, works and visits our community,” Laredo wrote in an announcement to the community Thursday afternoon. “To that end, working together with our Newton Police Department, School Superintendent Anna Nolin and School Committee leadership, City Council leadership, the City Solicitor and my executive team, I have signed an Executive Order Regarding City Response to Federal Immigration Operations.”

Effective immediately, Laredo’s executive order (which can be found in its entirety here):

• Calls on Newton police to protect the safety and well-being of protesters;
• Prohibits city employees from allowing any city-owned property to be used by the federal government for staging, processing or any other immigration enforcement-related activities;
• Reiterates that civil immigration agents are not allowed to enter non-public spaces without proper warrants or court orders.

The order also emphasizes that city policy is to not impede court orders, lawful warrants or criminal law enforcement.

“The Order I signed today reaffirms our values as a Welcoming City and makes clear that our well-trained, professional Newton police officers will follow established protocols and long-standing practices to maintain the rule of law and ensure that public safety remains paramount across the City,” Laredo wrote.

You can watch video of Laredo and other leaders addressing a press conference in Boston after the signing here.