Letter: Legislative action needed to protect immigrants

Becca Kornet, “Letter: Legislative action needed to protect immigrants,” Hometown Weekly, February 27, 2026.

To the Editor:

Every day, we see horrific violence by ICE agents across the country, including here in Massachusetts. This has hit pretty close to home, with Milford and Framingham being among the communities hardest hit by ICE in 2025. ICE’s actions are making all our communities less safe. Massachusetts residents have turned out in big numbers to protests and standouts demanding that our elected leaders do more leading and stand up to the cruelty and lawlessness of the Trump administration. There was a recent surge of ICE activity in Maine, and Massachusetts could be targeted next. We need to be ready for that now.

Many of our beloved immigrant neighbors are rightfully scared to leave their homes for fear of being detained by ICE. Parents are staying home from work and children are staying home from school. Others who are not immigrants but have black or brown skin, or an accent, or just find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time can all too easily find themselves in the middle of an ICE detention raid. Once someone is detained by ICE, the harrowing process has been known to move extremely quickly, with individuals transferred to Burlington, then to Plymouth, then to someplace like Louisiana – often over the course of a single day, before their families even know what happened, and before they have had a chance to secure legal representation. It is a dehumanizing experience.

While Massachusetts can’t stop everything ICE is doing, we must stop being complicit. Although many of us are proud of Massachusetts’s reputation as a liberal bastion, when it comes to protecting our immigrant communities, we have often lagged behind other states. States like California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington have all passed critical legislation to prevent state and local law enforcement from collaborating with ICE. Governor Healey and Beacon Hill legislators are finally coming around to the idea that the public wants to see action. But it matters that we pass legislation that truly meets the moment.

Beacon Hill should make it clear: state and local law enforcement should not be assisting ICE and should not be acting as ICE agents. 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. ICE is pressuring local police departments to sign up for its 287(g) program, which turns street-level officers into ICE agents – Massachusetts should prevent this misuse of public safety resourcesfrom happening within our borders. Massachusetts is the only state with a Democratic governor and Democratic legislature to still have a statewide 287(g) agreement with ICE. Governor Healey can end this collaboration with a stroke of the pen.

I urge you to look up your local legislators and find out if they have supported similar legislation.  You can find out if they are supporting the Safe Communities Act here. Other relevant legislation includes the Dignity Not Deportations Bill and the Black and Latino Caucus’s PROTECT Act. Call on them to build support with their colleagues behind robust legislation.

Becca Kornet
Medfield

Letter: State Legislation Needed to Stop Local Police From Assisting ICE

Rita Colafella, “Letter: State Legislation Needed to Stop Local Police From Assisting ICE,” Watertown News, February 23, 2026.

Across the US, we are witnessing ICE violence perpetrated with apparent impunity. On TV and social media, we see lawlessness and general chaos. A functional society needs the rule of law — built on stable precedents, clear processes, and established procedures to ensure the safety of every resident. Currently, that safety is being undermined by a federal administration that shifts rules on a weekly basis, while operating without a transparent strategy or the tactical oversight necessary to protect civil liberties.

Americans from across the political spectrum have turned out in droves to demand accountability. Recent polling reflects this growing national consensus: 60% of Americans disapprove of ICE’s conduct, including 68% of independents. Even among those who generally support the agency’s mission, there is unease because 65% of ALL those polled believe ICE has “gone too far.” It is no different in Massachusetts. Maine is experiencing a sudden and sharp increase in ICE activity. If Massachusetts is next, then we need a decisive local response. We along with 100 of millions of other Americans urge our elected leaders to act. It is time to implement safeguards that prevent federal overreach from compromising the safety, dignity, and legal stability of our communities. 

I grew up in the shadow of the Soviet Union and 40 years after World War II, and this issue transcends modern politics — it is about the fundamental preservation of human dignity and the sanctity of the law. When one is raised with the historical memory of how quickly state power can turn arbitrary and unchecked, one understands that “rules” are only meaningful when they are consistent and transparent. We learned that America’s promise is rooted in the idea that one’s safety is guaranteed by the rule of law rather than the whims of a shifting administration. When enforcement agencies operate without accountability, it echoes the very instability and overreach that many sought to escape. Protecting this idea matters because both heritage and history have demonstrated countless times that once the precedent for lawlessness is set, no community is truly secure.

While the Commonwealth cannot directly overturn federal ICE policy or obstruct its operations, we are under no obligation to be complicit in its actions. Massachusetts is failing to uphold its historic “rebellious reputation” — the same spirit that ignited the American Revolution and stoked the flames when other states wavered. Today, we are falling short of protecting our residents. Other states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington, have already passed decisive legislation to prevent state and local law enforcement from collaborating with ICE. The national tide is turning, and it is time for the Governor and Beacon Hill to recognize this shift. Our leaders must do their jobs by passing legislation with real “teeth” — laws that reflect the will of the people and effectively address the wrongdoing occurring within our borders.

Our legislation must be crystal clear: state and all local law enforcement should not be assisting ICE and should not be acting as ICE agents. Massachusetts law enforcement must never assist ICE in making civil immigration arrests — taking people into custody when they have not committed a crime. Nor should they ask any members of the public about one’s status. Locally funded resources must remain focused on protecting our communities, not assisting ICE in civil arrests or interrogations. ICE is pressuring local departments to sign 287(g) agreements, which effectively deputize local officers to perform federal immigration duties.

Massachusetts remains the only state with a Democratic governor and a Democratic-majority legislature to maintain such a statewide agreement. The chaotic civil immigration enforcement is not just a moral failure — it is a strategic one. Diverting highly trained and handsomely paid officers to apprehend people for status violations — often without a judicial warrant — moves resources away from responding to overdoses, domestic violence and armed robberies. The data is undeniable: U.S.citizens are 2.5 times more likely to commit drug crimes, and over four times more likely to commit property crimes compared to undocumented immigrants. By many metrics, focusing on civil violations does not make us safer; it only erodes the trust necessary for effective community policing. The Governor has the power to end this collaboration with a stroke of her pen. It is time for Beacon Hill to pass legislation to protect every resident of this Commonwealth.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan recently came to Watertown, and described what we can do to protect people. It included informing people of their rights to properly labelling areas as Private. She then said the most effective actions are demonstrating on the streets and contacting your representatives. So I ask you to look up your local legislators and find out if they have supported ending such agreements with ICE.

Rita Colafella
Watertown Resident

Letter: “A call for action to stop complicity with ICE actions”

Kelene Blumstein, “Letter: A call for action to stop complicity with ICE actions,” The Harvard Press, February 20, 2026.

According to reliable news reports, ICE’s violent actions are happening across the country, including in Massachusetts. We must not allow this to happen in Harvard—or anywhere. In my opinion, these operations make our communities less safe.

The Department of Homeland Security is systematically abusing its authority through unlawful raids, while spreading propaganda and misinformation to justify its actions. This climate of aggression undermines public safety and erodes trust in all law enforcement.

Massachusetts cannot stop everything ICE is doing, but we must stop being complicit.

Gov. Healey and state legislators are finally hearing the public’s demand for action—but it matters that we pass legislation that truly meets this moment.

We must demand that:

  • State and local law enforcement do not assist ICE or act as ICE agents.
  • Massachusetts law enforcement never assist ICE in civil immigration arrests or ask people about their immigration status.
  • ICE’s 287(g) program—which turns local officers into ICE agents—should be ended. Massachusetts is the only blue state with a 287(g) agreement. Gov. Healey can end this with a stroke of the pen.

Let’s demand that our legislators pass the Safe Communities Act, the PROTECT Act, and the Dignity Not Deportations Bill.

These bills would:

  • Truly separate local police from ICE.
  • End all 287(g) agreements.
  • Protect access to courthouses and schools.

Let’s keep our police focused on community safety.

Kelene Blumstein, Littleton Road

Letter: “Stop ICE in Massachusetts “

Al Blake, “Letter: Stop ICE in Massachusetts,” Berkshire Eagle, February 18, 2026.

To the editor: Every day, we see horrific violence by federal immigration agents across the country, including here in Massachusetts.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions are making all of our communities less safe. Berkshire residents have turned out in big numbers to protests and standouts demanding that our elected leaders do more leading and stand up to the cruelty and lawlessness of the Trump administration.

There was a recent surge of ICE activity in Maine, and Massachusetts could be targeted next, so we must stop being complicit. Gov. Maura Healey and Beacon Hill legislators are finally getting the memo that the public wants to see action. But it matters that we pass legislation that truly meets the moment. Beacon Hill should make it clear: State and local law enforcement should not be assisting ICE and should not be acting as ICE agents. Massachusetts law enforcement must never assist ICE in making civil immigration arrests or ask members of the public about their immigration status. We are the only state with a Democratic governor and Democratic-majority Legislature to still have a statewide 287(g) agreement with ICE. Gov. Healey can end this collaboration with a stroke of the pen.

Al Blake, Becket

Letter: “Some lawmakers throw up their hands, but there’s much that can be done”

Enid Eckstein, “Some lawmakers throw up their hands, but there’s much that can be done,” Boston Globe, January 12, 2026.

Anjali Huynh rightly calls out Massachusetts Democrats for being less aggressive than lawmakers in other blue states in “building an anti-Trump wall,” but I disagree with the contention of some that there is only so much the Legislature can do. It can do plenty.

As legislators returned last week, they confronted a loss of $3.5 billion in annual federal aid, and more in lost tax revenue, due to the Trump administration’s federal tax changes. Many Massachusetts residents will be squeezed by rising health care costs, and tens of thousands risk losing health care coverage or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

Massachusetts can join neighboring states and pass a measure that would raise as much as $400 million in new annual revenue by fighting offshore tax dodging by large global companies such as Apple, Amazon, and Walmart.

The Legislature also can opt out of state-level adoption of the Trump corporate tax cuts and preserve more than $400 million in state revenue this year alone. Maine, Rhode Island, and other states have already done this.

Lawmakers also could use a reasonable amount of the $8.6 billion rainy day fund to fill the holes in key services without a long-term impact on the fund itself. The fund was created to act as a buffer for shortfalls during emergencies by preventing drastic cuts to health care, education, and public safety. This is an emergency.

Massachusetts legislators have many tools in their toolbox, and it is time to start using them.

Enid Eckstein

Jamaica Plain

The writer is on the steering committees of Jamaica Plain Progressives and Raise Up Massachusetts.

Editorial: “Beacon Hill’s new rules are good. They should follow them. “

Jonathan Cohn and Scotia Hille, “Beacon Hill’s new rules are good. They should follow them. ,” CommonWealth Beacon, December 17, 2025.

THIS SUMMER, the Massachusetts Legislature did something that surprised everyone. And, no, we aren’t talking about passing a budget on time. The House and Senate agreed to a set of joint rules for the first time since 2019, including a number of transparency reforms that activists had fought for for years.  

The Massachusetts Legislature has often been ranked as the least transparent in the country, and the opening of this session created a fertile opportunity to change that. Last year, we saw a chaotic end of session that left many key bills on the table, competitive legislative primaries waged over voters’ desire for a more small “d” democratic Democratic Legislature, and a blowout victory for Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s ballot question on auditing the Legislature. Everyday people–and not just advocates deep in the trenches–were seeing that things needed to change.  

Read on here.

Letter: Mayor renews push to ease homeowners’ burden. Will Senate budge?

Jonathan Cohn, “Letter: Mayor renews push to ease homeowners’ burden. Will Senate budge?,” Boston Globe, December 10, 2025.

“At the start of the new legislative session, the state Senate promised a new day for legislative transparency, and senators have stressed that affordability is a top issue for their agenda. But to this point the Senate’s approach to Mayor Michelle Wu’s home rule petition to temporarily shift the tax burden from homeowners to commercial properties has belied both promises (“Property taxes set to jump again: Wu sees another double-digit rise for homeowners,” Page A1, Dec. 4).

The Legislature approved a new, earlier deadline to report bills out of committee, and as a result of new rules, we get to see how legislators voted. But not in the case of Wu’s proposal. The Senate has not allowed the bill to even have a hearing, despite the requirement that committees hold hearings on every bill assigned to them.

Moreover, as Democrats across the country, including here, talk about affordability as a key goal, Wu’s proposal addresses exactly that. It asks the commercial sector to shoulder more of the tax burden than the city’s residents, who are facing high costs and are suffering from the disastrous economic policies of President Trump.

Boston residents are looking at the state Senate, especially vocal opponents of the proposal such as Senator Nick Collins, and asking: Whose side are you on?”

Letter: “State Needs to Step In”

Steve Leibowitz, “Letter: State Needs to Step In,” Cape Cod Chronicle, October 16, 2025.

Editor:
The recent cuts and shutdown at the federal level threaten essential programs that Cape Cod families rely on — everything from food assistance to housing support. While Washington retreats, our state must step forward. The Massachusetts Legislature has a responsibility not just to cushion these blows, but to act boldly and proactively to ensure no resident is left behind.
We cannot wait for federal funds that may never come back. Massachusetts has the resources and ingenuity to protect its most vulnerable communities, but it requires the political will to prioritize people to do so. A more aggressive response — through targeted state funding, innovative partnerships, and stronger safety nets — is not optional; it is a moral obligation.
If we fail to act decisively, the burden will fall hardest on our children, seniors and working families already struggling to make ends meet. This is not the time for incrementalism. Massachusetts should lead by example, proving that even when Washington pulls back, we move forward.

Steven Leibowitz
Brewster