Support & Strengthen the PROTECT Act

he MA Senate is voting tomorrow on the PROTECT Act (S.3072), which takes important steps to protect immigrant communities in Massachusetts, such as banning new 287(g) agreements, preventing law enforcement from asking about immigration status or using resources for civil immigration enforcement, limiting information sharing with ICE, protecting courthouses and other sensitive locations, and more.

The MA Senate has the opportunity to strengthen the bill by adopting the following amendments:

  • Amendment #7 (Gómez): Effective Date Support, which reduces the implementation timeline of the provisions limiting law enforcement collaboration with ICE from 180 days to 30 days from passage
  • Amendment #10 (Edwards): Courthouse Curtilage Support, which extends courthouse protections to the walkways, alleys, driveways, and sidewalks adjacent to the courthouse plus 300 additional feet
  • Amendment #11 (Eldridge): Protect Immigrant Victims of Crime and Trafficking, which helps immigrant victims get faster decisions on certifications they need to apply for immigration relief, especially if they are facing deportation, and makes it clear they can get legal support
  • Amendment #55 (Brady): Language Access and Community Education, which requires translation of model policies for sensitive locations in the Commonwealth’s top 5 languages and requires annual Know Your Rights trainings at schools and covered health care providers.

Can you send your state senator an email in support?(Or leave them a message?)

“‘The bloodless murder of legislation.’ After promising more transparency, Mass. Legislature still killing bills without votes.” | Boston Globe

Kelly Garrity, “‘The bloodless murder of legislation.’ After promising more transparency, Mass. Legislature still killing bills without votes.,” Boston Globe, May 5, 2026.

Public committee votes are a form of holding lawmakers accountable, allowing residents and advocates the ability to thank those who supported their preferred legislation and “call to complain if they voted the way you didn’t want them to,” said Jonathan Cohn, policy director of Progressive Massachusetts.

The pocket study, he said, maintains the Legislature’s “old style.”

“The bloodless murder of legislation,” he said, “where things die, and everybody has clean hands.”

This Thursday at the State House: Our Annual Lobby Day

This Thursday is a big day. The MA Senate will be voting on their draft of the PROTECT Act, and it’s our annual lobby day.

We have just three months left in the formal legislative session, and we need to keep the momentum going.

Join us at the State House as we advocate for priorities from our Legislative Agenda.

We need the MA House to take action where the MA Senate has already: by strengthening data privacy protections and reining in politically motivated book bans.

We need the MA Senate to take action to strengthen the PROTECT Act and protect our immigrant communities, and to rein in utility profiteering and pass an energy bill that doesn’t scapegoat Mass Save.

We need both chambers to say NO to corporate extortionists trying to get themselves ANOTHER massive tax cut.

We need both chambers to commit to investing in people not prisons and not let the prison moratorium that advanced out of committee in both chambers stall.

And rather than wait until the November ballot, we have the opportunity to get the Legislature to pass rent control and Same Day Registration.

Progressive Mass 2026 Lobby Day

Thursday, May 7, 10 am (Doors open at 9:30 am)

Massachusetts State House

RSVP here

All are welcome, whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth time at the State House.

Just Say NO to Corporate Extortionists

Corporate CEOs are backing two ballot questions to cut the income tax. Combined with Trump’s cuts to the state, these questions will blow an $8 Billion hole in the budget, a radical, reckless attack on our state’s finances and working families. This cut of more than 10% of the state’s budget means defunding our schools, our cities and towns, and our health care.

With the threat of such severe cuts, these CEOs are trying to scare the legislature into a backroom deal to cut taxes for millionaires and corporations.

These CEOs are still mad about the passage of the Fair Share Amendment. They chipped in a few more cents per dollar on their income over a million, and we were able to fund universal school meals, free community college, and more. They want to get rid of all of this and more.

The big donors and backers of these questions won’t go to the ballot— they know that such deep cuts will undermine the transportation and services their businesses depend upon. If a few fanatics do go forward, faith, labor, and community groups are ready to defeat them.

If the Legislature concedes and lets these corporate extortionists get their way, they will keep coming back year after year with more threats and more demands. They will keep enriching themselves, and the investments we all depend on will suffer.

Tell your legislators to say NO to negotiating with corporate extortionists and NO to any deal with them.

But there’s more that you can do:

Follow-up to Spring Forward Webinar “Spring Forward: Investing in People, not Prisons: The Prison Moratorium and Beyond”

Thank you so much to everyone who joined our Spring Forward webinar on Wednesday about the prison moratorium and the important work happening on decarceration with Mallory Hanora of Families for Justice as Healing!

Follow-Up Links

  • You can watch the video here.