Protecting Massachusetts Communities Campaign Launched at State House Rally

ByChristine Dall

A coalition of immigrant rights organizations, legislators, union leaders, and concerned citizens gathered outside Boston’s Statehouse on Oct. 22 to launch Protecting Massachusetts Communities (PMC) — a campaign to legally defend against the freedom of ICE agents to target, hunt down, arrest and deport the thousands of immigrants and refugees living and working in our communities.

“Operation Patriot,” the federal government’s escalation of immigrant deportations from Massachusetts last spring netted 1,500 arrests in May alone, mostly in the Boston “sanctuary city” area.”Operation Patriot 2.0”, which began in September, has yielded another 1,500 arrests is ongoing.

ICE’s growing use of violence in abducting immigrants spreads a constant fear in their homes and work places, not only in metropolitan Boston and its suburbs but also in Worcester, Lowell, Fall River, Framingham and Nantucket. Currently, the operations are reported to be moving into the Merrimack Valley region. Immigrants are afraid to take public transportation, go to work or send their children to school for fear of being trapped in a massive ICE dragnet based on racial profiling, now encouraged by the Supreme Court.

Contrary to federal claims of targeting only hardcore criminals, up to 80% of those indiscriminately scooped up, detained, stripped of their rights and deported are found to have no criminal record. Some have gone through proper channels or have applications in process and have lived, worked, raised families and paid taxes here for decades. Others, attending their required immigration check-ins at court or detention centers, find bonus-focused ICE agents waiting for them. when they leave appointments.

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) is spearheading the PMC Campaign that could help protect immigrants and refugees and secure their rights.

Safe Communities Act (SCA)

SD.1670 has languished in the legislature for nearly two years, frustrating its advocates as the ICE offensive worsens. The SCA would prohibit police and court officials from inquiring about any person’s immigration status when in contact with them, ensuring that immigrants — whether they are workers, tenants, or survivors of domestic violence — can report crimes and seek help without fear of detention and deportation.

The SCA would also safeguard rights during ICE interrogations, requiring written, informed consent before any questioning can take place in law enforcement custody. Immigrants must be informed of their right to refuse such interviews or have legal representation present, preventing them from unknowingly signing away their rights or facilitating their own deportation.

The SCA would hold that local police and courts should not serve as federal immigration agents enforcing federal immigration laws, raids and arrests, which undermine trust between communities and police and waste state resources intended for community safety and crime prevention. It would also prohibit informal collaboration between local police and ICE and prevent agreements that allow police officers to become ICE agents.

Immigrant Legal Defense Act (ILDA)

SD.2057 could stop ICE from detaining individuals before they have their day in court. It would create and fund a statewide program to provide no-cost legal defense to immigrants for their deportation hearings, particularly those who are already being held in federal detention in Burlington or Plymouth.

Access to free legal representation in court is not required or often available for immigrants, unlike for U.S.citizens, but it promotes fair due process and can make all the difference in deportation cases. Currently, only 37 percent of immigrants have attorneys in court, primarily due to the high cost. Detained immigrants with a lawyer are 10 times more likely to win their case than those without.

What To Do Now

The long stall of the Safe Communities Act on Beacon Hill shows that the legislative process is no match for Trump’s instant-action agenda. The Immigrant Legal Defense Act cannot wait if it is to serve justice and protect our immigrant workers and neighbors. Help MIRA by putting pressure on your reps to pass these bills now.

Your state legislator needs to hear from you: Send them a message
Sign MIRA’s Petition for the advancement of the rights and inclusion of all immigrants and refugees in the Commonwealth: Sign the MIRA petition

Learn more about the Protecting Massachusetts Communities Campaign.

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