WORCESTER — In the wake of the presidential election, City Manager Eric D. Batista and Mayor Joseph M. Petty released a statement Thursday night saying the city will not target anyone based on their immigration status.

“We want to make it clear that Worcester is and will always remain a welcoming and inclusive city,” the statement began.

President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on promises of mass deportations of immigrants who are in the country illegally. Governor Maura Healey said last week that the state will not help the incoming Trump administration carry out such operations.

On Tuesday, the Worcester City Council discussed Petty and Batista who made a post-election statement that echoed Healey’s.

District 5 City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj requested a declaration on behalf of the city, City Council and Police Department that no city police officers will be involved in immigration raids.

The board voted unanimously in support of Haxhiaj’s motion.

“There will be absolutely no tolerance for hatred or violence against any member of our community, regardless of their immigration status or identity. The municipality will never target individuals based on their immigration status,” the statement said.

In Worcester, Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, trailed Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris winning 62 percent to 35 percent. However, Trump improved his 2020 margin by 10 percentage points over President Joe Biden, from 67.5% to 29%.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester leaders: We won’t ‘target’ people on immigration status