Taking Action to Protect Immigrants and Our Communities
- Feb 4
- 6 min read
Dear friends,
Many of you have called, emailed, or spoken to me about protecting our communities from President Trump’s anti-immigrant policies and the terror and harm that ICE is inflicting. Like you, I am angry and determined to do everything we can to protect our neighbors and friends. I have been a strong advocate for immigrant rights, working to ensure there are legal protections to safeguard our immigrant neighbors. Also like many of you, my family has multiple distinct immigrant journeys and ties, and this issue remains at the forefront of our minds — both as we raise children in these abhorrent times and as we think about the future of our family. I continue to partner with my colleagues and organizations such as the MIRA Coalition, La Colaborativa, and ACLU of Massachusetts to establish safeguards for immigrant and refugee rights.
Last Wednesday, the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus introduced the PROTECT Act (An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment). The PROTECT Act also includes protections for immigrant communities, safeguards our courts, and ensures consistent due process and equal protection under the law. I am proud to co-sponsor this omnibus legislation and grateful to be part of a space where decisions are shaped collaboratively, thoughtfully and with care.
I am so pleased to share that last week, the AFL-CIO MA Board endorsed legislation I filed alongside my colleague, Representative Michael Day, An Act relative to access to justice (H.1635) as a priority for the organization. This bill was included by the Black and Latino Caucus in their previously mentioned omnibus bill and I was honored to be invited to stand alongside them as they launched this new legislation. An Act relative to access to justice would prohibit the Massachusetts RMV from sharing information with federal agencies for immigration purposes, forbid courts and prosecutors from asking victims, family, and witnesses about their immigration status, and ensure that agencies are only notified about people attending court proceedings when required to do so by federal law.
Governor Healey announced last Thursday that Massachusetts is taking more steps to protect immigrants in the Commonwealth and combat ICE overreach. She signed an executive order banning 287(g) agreements that deputize local officials as ICE agents; prohibiting ICE from making civil arrests in non-public areas of state facilities; and banning the use of state property for immigration enforcement staging. The Governor also included language in a supplemental budget she filed this week banning ICE from schools, places of worship, hospitals, and courthouses; banning other states from deploying the National Guard to Massachusetts without permission; and allowing parents to pre-arrange guardianship for their children should they be deported.
I also joined 68 of my colleagues last week in signing a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security and Congress to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haiti.
For some of you, this may be a reminder, and for others, an introduction to the work I continue to push forward. I am a co-sponsor of several other bills to keep our friends and neighbors safe and to hold law enforcement agents accountable:
An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents (H.2580), or the Safe Communities Act, which I have championed since it was first filed in 2017. This bill would limit voluntary police and court involvement in civil immigration matters, protect basic rights, and keep law enforcement agencies focused on public safety. Provisions from this bill are included in the PROTECT Act.
An Act relative to immigration detention and collaboration agreements (H.1588), or the Dignity Not Deportations Act. This bill would prohibit Massachusetts entities, including sheriffs, from voluntarily renting beds to ICE and prohibit Massachusetts entities from donating time and volunteering state resources to ICE by signing contracts – such as 287(g) agreements – that deputize local officials as ICE agents. Provisions from this bill are included in the PROTECT Act.
An Act ensuring law enforcement identification and public trust (H.4684), which would require law enforcement to be identifiable when interacting with the public.
An Act ensuring law enforcement identification for public safety (SD3574), or the No Secret Police Act. This bill would ban the use of masks by all law enforcement officers in the state, including federal officers, while performing their duties.
An Act ensuring access to equitable representation in immigration proceedings (H.1954), which would create a funded statewide program to provide no-cost immigration legal defense to immigrants in Massachusetts who are at imminent risk of deportation, especially those held in federal immigration detention.
An Act protecting access to justice (SD.3607), which would forbid civil arrests from taking place at courthouses without a warrant. Law enforcement officers would be mandated to identify themselves to court personnel and state their reason for being present.
As many of you know, last March I held a town hall with representatives from the ACLU of Massachusetts, Fenway Health, and the MIRA Coalition. One of the key focuses of this conversation was the attacks on immigrant communities and how we can support our neighbors and community members. I am holding another town hall, working with the city, the mayor, and advocates, so that we can come together once again to discuss how to keep our community safe.
Longtime readers of my newsletter will know that I have partnered with the MIRA Coalition multiple times over the past decade to coordinate meetings with legislators ahead of the House’s budget deliberations. These meetings help prepare and strategize around advocacy for and against budget amendments that affect immigrants. Over the years, I have served as the point person for this issue, providing a home base for organizing colleagues to defeat anti-immigrant efforts and advance pro-immigrant bills and amendments.
The FY26 budget, signed into law last July, allocates $5 million to implement an immigration legal services program through designated nonprofit organizations and I anticipate we will continue to fund this program in FY27. This funding will increase access to legal representation, advice, and advocacy for immigrants and refugees facing heightened federal legal threats. The Governor’s budget proposal for FY27 released this week would allocate another $5 million. While I am proud that we are one of eight states that have committed funds for legal services, I continue to communicate directly with legal services groups to address barriers to access and other challenges.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me on this issue, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or issues. I am here to help.
Sincerely,
Marjorie
Some resources:
Guidance for Immigrants and their Employers
MLRI and MIRA have created guidance to prepare immigrants and their employers for ICE interactions. Here is the guidance; please share it widely with your networks.
LUCE Defense Hotline
If you see or suspect ICE or federal agents are in your neighborhood, contact the LUCE Immigrant Defense Network’s Hotline, which operates in several languages, at 617-370-5023 from 9am-5pm. A trained operator will ask for details, then dispatch a volunteer to the site, who will attempt to verify the situation and the presence of ICE. You can learn more about LUCE and their upcoming volunteer trainings at lucemass.org.
De Novo Center for Justice and Healing
De Novo is a Cambridge-based nonprofit that provides free civil legal assistance and affordable psychological counseling to people with low incomes. Importantly, De Novo also offers high-quality, free legal assistance to low-income immigrants and asylum seekers who are living in Massachusetts. You can learn more about their immigration related services here, and their general mission and work at denovo.org.
ACLU’s Know Your Rights hub
The Hub offers easy-to-navigate guides on constitutional and legal rights in situations ranging from interacting with law enforcement to voting and protesting, as well as topic-specific resources on immigration, digital discrimination, disability rights, and more. Whether you’re preparing for a protest, planning travel, or simply want to be better informed about your freedoms under U.S. law, these materials help break down complex legal protections into practical, accessible information.
La Colaborativa
La Collaborativa offers a comprehensive suite of culturally responsive services designed to support immigrants and their families as they build stability, opportunity, and community in Massachusetts. For more than 35 years, this Latino-led nonprofit has partnered with newly arrived immigrants, undocumented families, non-English speakers, and low-income workers to provide vital resources that meet people where they are. Learn more about their services at https://la-colaborativa.org.
