The tragic murder of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis underscores what has long been clear: ICE agents make communities less safe.

ICE has been terrorizing communities across Massachusetts, breaking up families and breaking the law.

But MA lags behind other blue states in taking meaningful action to rein in police collaboration with ICE and protect immigrant communities.

Beacon Hill could pass legislation RIGHT NOW to change that. That's why we've been working with the Protect Massachusetts Communities coalition to advance legislation based on the following three principles:  

(1) Don't assist ICE.
Massachusetts law enforcement must never assist ICE in making civil immigration arrests (taking people into custody when no crime has been committed) or ask members of the public about their immigration status.

(2) Don't turn police into ICE agents.
ICE is pressuring and incentivizing local police departments to sign up for its 287(g) program, which turns street-level officers into ICE agents. They are even offering bounty-style bonuses for police forces that bring in high rates of targeted residents. Massachusetts should prevent this from happening within our borders.  

(3) Fund legal help to fight deportations.
Pass the Immigrant Legal Defense Act to give immigrants who can't afford a private attorney a fighting chance in immigration court.

Key bills before the Legislature can advance these reforms, such as the Safe Communities Act (H.2580/S.1681), the Dignity Not Deportations Act (H.1588/S.1122), and the Immigrant Legal Defense Act (H.1954/S.1127).