Massachusetts advocates, some state lawmakers, rally on State House steps for undocumented immigrant protections

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition rallied alongside state lawmakers and advocates at the Massachusetts State House steps Wednesday to launch the “Protect Our Immigrant Communities” Campaign, stressing the steps they say Massachusetts must take to “defend immigrants from President Trump’s harmful and hateful policies.” 

“Immigrants make Massachusetts stronger by filling our communities with their culture, keeping our economy running amidst a workforce shortage, and spending hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local taxes,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. “Beacon Hill must pass reforms to protect immigrants who give so much to our state, and the ‘Protect Our Immigrant Communities’ campaign will advocate tirelessly to make that a reality.” 

“Protect Our Immigrant Communities” campaign is urging state leaders to pass the Safe Communities Act, which would lessen state and local law enforcement co-operation with ICE agents. The campaign is also calling on the state to expand legal services for immigrants facing deportation court proceedings. 

Maroni Minter, Political Director at the MIRA Coalition, Senator James Eldridge (D-Acton), Senator Liz Miranda (D-Boston), Representative Manny Cruz (D-Salem), Representative David Rogers (D-Belmont), Dawn Sauma, Co-Executive Director, Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, and Damaris Velasquez, Programs Director, Agencia ALPHA were scheduled to appear.