Protecting Our Immigrant Communities ACTION ALERT: What You Can Do

Act to Protect our Immigrant Communities

The federal administration is terrorizing people of color. “I’m coming to Boston. I’m bringing hell with me,” declared Trump Border Czar Tom Homan on Saturday. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has been summoned to testify to Congress on March 5. Temporary Protected Status status has been revoked for Venezuelans and Haitians. There are 4,700 Haitian TPS holders residing in the Commonwealth–and we are home to the second-largest Haitian population in the nation. Students are afraid to attend school and people are fearful of attending medical appointments.

You can take action to help now. To start, review the information that follows and then contact your state legislators this week using the template that’s included.

We are partnering with immigration organizations to defend against attacks on the immigrant community. Immigration is a Silver Priority outlined in the LWV national strategy for the first 100 days of the new administration. The League of Women Voters does not support deporting immigrants who have no history of major or violent crime activity. The League also believes that immigration policies need to be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises. In addition, the League supports due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal, and right to humane treatment. LWVMA opposes the deputization of state and local police to enforce immigration laws in Massachusetts, in accordance with state law. View the LWVUS and LWVMA positions in Impact on Issues, p. 168 and LWVMA Where We Stand, p.50.

LWVUS has signed on to coalition letters at the federal level opposing the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention for even minor offenses here, and opposing HR32 defunding sanctuary cities. Read the letter from the last session here.

According to the 2017 Supreme Judicial Court decision, Lunn v. Commonwealth, “Massachusetts law provides no authority for Massachusetts court officers to arrest and hold an individual solely on the basis of a Federal civil immigration detainer, beyond the time that the individual would otherwise be entitled to be released from State custody.” Local and state law enforcement do not prevent communication with ICE or interfere with ICE investigations.

You can help defend immigrants on the state level, and you can start now.

Please contact your state representative and state senator THIS WEEK via email or phone using the suggested script below and ask them to support the following bills. Find your legislators here.

Suggested script:

“Dear Rep./Sen. ________,

With a federal government committed to the mass detention and deportation of immigrants and actively stripping away existing rights and protections, Massachusetts must take a stand. As a member of the League of Women Voters, I encourage you to sign on as a co-sponsor of the following bills, which will protect their access to justice, and ensure fair and humane treatment under the law.

HD.3816/SD.1670, An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents (Safe Communities Act)

HD.4072/SD.2057, An Act ensuring access to equitable representation in immigration proceedings (Immigrant Legal Defense Fund)

HD.3596/SD.1107 An Act relative to immigration detention and collaboration agreements (Dignity not Deportations)

HD.3799/SD.928 An Act establishing fairness for agricultural laborers in Massachusetts

HD.3795/SD.927 An Act relative to overtime pay for agricultural laborers in Massachusetts

The League of Women Voters does not support deporting immigrants who have no history of major or violent crime activity. The League also believes that immigration policies need to be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises. In addition, the League supports due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal, and right to humane treatment.

We thank you for taking this important step forward to protect our immigrant communities.”

Feel free to personalize your emails by adding why protecting immigrants is important to you. Remember to include your name and complete street address.

What else can you do?

Ensure that immigrants know their legal rights by volunteering and sharing Know Your Rights training sessions. See more information here.
Watch MIRA’s Executive Director Elizabeth Sweet’s presentation to LWVMA on Protecting Our Immigrant Communities. Find the recording here and the slides here.
Register to attend Immigrants’ Day at the State House Conference & Event 2025, March 18-19.

Resources

Questions? Email specialists@lwvma.org.

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts

lwvma@lwvma.org | 857-452-1715| lwvma.org

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