immigrants rights

Tell the Public Safety Committee: Families Belong Together

We know that policies that tear apart families — whether through deportation or through incarceration — are bad for communities.

Even though the impacts of deportation have fallen out of the news cycle in the past few years, the work of disentangling state and local law enforcement remains no less important, and given the routine demonization of immigrant communities by too many politicians, we must continue to assert, in words and in policies, that all are welcome here.

But deportation isn’t the only driver of family separations. Our carceral system also does that, and restrictive rules around visitation exacerbate the indignities and inequities of the system.

Fortunately, there are proposed bills to address both of these issues. They both face a deadline of next Monday, April 8, and you still have time to act.

Send an email to the Public Safety Committee about the Safe Communities Act
Send an email to the Public Safety Committee about the Prison Visitation bill

Support the Safe Communities Act

Longstanding state and local involvement in deportations discourages immigrants from seeking police and court protection from domestic violence, endemic wage theft, and unsafe working conditions. Many immigrants—and their children—fear that seeking help from local authorities will result in deportation and family separation.

It has become increasingly clear that the ability of the federal government to protect our rights is limited, and we don’t know what the future will bring. The Massachusetts Safe Communities Act (S.1510 and H.2288) would end voluntary police and court involvement in deportations, and ensure that in Massachusetts, everyone can seek help, protection and medical care without fear of deportation.

The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security has until April 8th to take action on the bill this session. Use our form to quickly send an email to committee members. They need to hear from you!

Email the Committee

Support the Visitation Bill

In December, the Keeping Families Connected coalition celebrated the historic No Cost Calls bill that eliminates the cost of phone calls for people who are incarcerated. This has already had a huge positive impact on individuals and families across the state. Let’s keep up the momentum to Keep Families Connected through supporting in-person visits. The Prison Visitation bill would lift many restrictions on visiting loved ones who are incarcerated, and make staying connected through in-person visits more accessible. You can learn more about the Visitation bill here.

The Public Safety Committee extended the deadline until April 8 to report this bill favorably out of committee. You can help by calling or emailing the members of the committee to tell them you support improved access to visits and want them to give the bills a favorable report.

Email the Committee

decarceration immigrants rights

Testimony in Support of the Language Access & Inclusion Act and Indigenous Peoples Day

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Dear Chairman Collins, Chairman Cabral, and Members of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight:

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the policy director at Progressive Massachusetts. We are a statewide, multi-issue, grassroots membership organization focused on fighting for policy that would make our Commonwealth more equitable, just, sustainable, and democratic.

We urge you to give a favorable report to S.1990/H.3084 (An Act Relative to Language Access and Inclusion) and S.1976/H.2989 (An Act establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day).

S.1990/H.3084: Language Access and Inclusion Act

Massachusetts is home to a vibrant immigrant community. One in six Massachusetts residents is an immigrant, while one in seven residents is a native-born US citizen with at least one immigrant parent.

Massachusetts, correspondingly, is home to great linguistic diversity: more than 1 out of 4 residents report speaking a language other than English at home, with the most common languages being Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese (including Mandarin and Cantonese), Vietnamese, and Russian. However, as the pandemic demonstrated, our state agencies and departments have a patchwork of different policies around language accessibility, and there is no current statute to ensure that non-English speaking residents have a fair and equitable opportunity to obtain an education, apply for benefits, receive housing assistance, or represent themselves in court.

The Language Access and Inclusion Act would help our Commonwealth better meet the needs of all residents by standardizing and enforcing language access protocols and practices at public-facing state agencies. Everyone should be able to interact with and seek help from their own government, no matter what language they speak.

S.1976/H.2989: Indigenous Peoples Day

For decades, Christopher Columbus has been celebrated as a “hero” who “discovered America.” Indigenous people have made it clear that, to the contrary, these lands were invaded, not “discovered,” and that Columbus and his men were responsible for the enslavement, rape, and murder of countless Indigenous peoples in the Caribbean. Since the 1970s, Indigenous people have asked that Indigenous Peoples Day should instead be celebrated on the second Monday in October as a positive day to learn about and honor Indigenous history and peoples.

Our neighbors in Maine and Vermont already celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, as do an increasing number of cities and towns in Massachusetts. The Commonwealth should join them, and S.1976/H.2989: An Act establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day will make that happen.

Thank you again for all your work on today’s hearing, and again, please give a favorable report to S.1990/H.3084 (An Act Relative to Language Access and Inclusion) and S.1976/H.2989 (An Act establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day).

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

Key Hearings at the State House Next Week: How to Help

Next week, the State House will be holding hearings on several key progressive priorities. Read on to find out how to show your support.

Show Your Support for Universal School Meals

Over 1 in 5 households with children in Massachusetts are struggling to put food on the table. School meals take the pressure off family budgets and allow families to put food on the table day-to-day.

Ensuring that students receive proper nutrition would reduce health care costs, improve student attendance, improve socio-emotional health, and improve student performance. We have seen the success of the program already, and it’s time to make it permanent.

The House included tuition equity in its FY 2024 budget, but the Senate did not, and it has been a sticking point in ongoing negotiations.

The Joint Education Committee will be having a hearing on the Universal School Meals bill on Monday at 11:00 AM in Gardner Auditorium.

Sign up to testify (virtual or in-person) at the hearing on Monday at 11:00 AM.

Can’t testify to the hearing? You can still submit written testimony! See the instructions on the link above or use our template here.

The Feed Kids Coalition also has a social media toolkit to help amplify support for universal school meals.

Show Your Support for Tuition Equity

From a recent coalition letter organized by our friends at the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition: Immigrant advocates and higher education leaders in Massachusetts have long supported broad access to an affordable public college education for immigrant youth, particularly those without status who arrived in the U.S. as children and have been educated in our public schools. Currently these students are required to pay out-of-state or international tuition rates (up to four times the in-state rate). They are overwhelmingly from low-income, hardworking families, often with substantial responsibilities to contribute to family income, but lack access to both federal and state student financial aid. This combination effectively denies some of our most ambitious and talented high school graduates from continuing their education and contributing to the Massachusetts economy.

The Senate included tuition equity in its FY 2024 budget, but the House did not, and it has been a sticking point in ongoing negotiations.

The Joint Higher Education Committee will be holding a hearing on Tuition Equity legislation next Tuesday at 1 PM.

Sign up to testify (virtual or in-person) at the hearing here.

Can’t testify at the hearing? You can still submit written testimony! See the instructions on the link above and craft your own testimony with MIRA’s toolkit, or use our template here.

Show Your Support for a Zero-Carbon Renovation Fund

With extreme heat and extreme flooding already, this summer has shown that we are already living with the realities of climate change.

The Zero-Carbon Renovation Fund (ZCRF) bill would jumpstart the market for zero carbon renovations with a $300 million fund devoted to (1) maximizing energy efficiency through building envelope upgrades, (2) electrification of building systems, (3) maximizing usage of on-site renewable energy, wherever possible, and (4) use of building retrofit materials that are low embodied carbon.

With an understanding that our sustainability transition must be an equitable one to be successful, the ZCRF would prioritize affordable housing, public housing, low- and moderate-income homes, schools, BIPOC- and women-owned businesses, and buildings located in Environmental Justice communities.

Due to the ongoing internal fight within the Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee, the bill has TWO hearings next week: a Senate hearing on Monday and a House hearing on Wednesday.

Sign up to testify (virtual or in-person) at the Senate hearing on Monday at 9:30 AM.

Sign up to testify (virtual or in-person) at the House hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 AM.

Not able to testify? You can still submit written testimony! The Zero-Carbon Renovation Fund Coalition has a useful toolkit for submitting written testimony here.

Want sample testimony? We’ve got you covered: sample Senate testimony and sample House testimony.

What’s Coming Up Later This Month?

The Gas Moratorium bill will be having hearings on Wednesday, July 26, and Thursday, July 27.

The Yes in My Backyard bill will be having a hearing on Wednesday, July 26.

Stay tuned for more info on all three hearings and how to get involved!

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Take Action: How to Support a Progressive Budget

In the FY 2024 budget, both the House and the Senate embraced the opportunity to include forward-thinking proposals that strengthen our commitment to equity, but, with differences between them, the work is not done.

In the coming weeks, a Conference Committee of three senators and three representatives will be finalizing the details for next year’s budget, and they need to hear from you in support of key provisions:

Tuition equity language, which would ensure that all MA high school graduates have access to in-state tuition at our Commonwealth’s public colleges and universities, regardless of immigration status, as 23 other states and DC provide
Permanent School Meals for All, which would ensure healthy nutrition for all students, increase educational performance, and support working families
No Cost Calls language, as outlined in the Keeping Families Connected/No Cost Calls Coalition’s letter, namely, making all communication services free in 2023, including a strong guarantee of access to calls, and laying out clear language to ensure successful implementation

Can you write to your senator and representative to ask them to fight for the inclusion of all three in the final FY2024 budget?

Mark Your Calendars

State House Hearings This Week

Wednesday, 6/21 @ 9:30 AM: Energy Facilities Siting Reform
Wednesday, 6/21 @ 1:00 PM: Local option bills for teen voting, all-resident voting, and ranked choice voting
Thursday, 6/22 @ 1:00 PM: PILOT reform

If you are interested in testifying (written, in-person, or virtual) and have questions, just reach out!

Thursday, 6/22: Gun Violence Awareness Month Action at the Massachusetts State House @ 10am in front of the State House

The Mass Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence will be gathering on the steps of the State house with local and national partners including Stop Handgun Violence, Moms Demand Action, Giffords, and Brady, to honor June as Gun Violence Awareness month and to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision. Join for a press conference featuring survivors, violence prevention workers, and others impacted by gun violence to address the impact of gun violence in the Commonwealth and call for continued action.

Sunday, 6/25: Progressive Mass Activist Afternoons Continues @ 3:30 PM

Join Progressive Mass for an Activist Afternoons series! We’ll be reaching out to members across the state to reach out to their legislators about key issues at the State House. On 6/25, we’ll be focusing on the Transfer Fee bill. RSVP here!

Tuesday, 6/27: Hearing at the State House for the Prison Moratorium Bill @ 11 am, Rally @ 10 am

Massachusetts does not need new prisons and jails: we need to be investing in communities, not in expanding the carceral system. So make sure that the Legislature hears loud and clear by showing up to support the Prison Moratorium in Gardner Auditorium on the State House and a rally before, RSVP here.

Thursday, 7/13: Common Start Rally at the State House

Please join the Common Start Coalition for a family-friendly rally at the State House on July 13 at 11:00 AM! As we head into the summer months, this is an incredible opportunity to keep up the momentum for high-quality, affordable, and accessible early education and care in Massachusetts.

Following a brief speaking program, children and their families will lead a march through the State House to demonstrate the power of our coalition and to highlight solutions to the child care crisis. Art and other activities for children will be a part of the event.

Common Start Family-Friendly Rally for Child Care

Time: Thursday, July 13 at 11:00 AM
Location: Grand Staircase, Massachusetts State House, Boston
Travel: There will be buses from across the state. More info to come.
Interpretation: There will be Spanish interpretation for the event.
Make sure to RSVP here: https://bit.ly/csrally7-13

budget Common Start decarceration education gun violence housing immigrants rights no cost calls

PM Joins 80 Other Organizations in Calling for Tuition Equity

June 9, 2023

To: Sen. Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means

Rep. Aaron M. Michlewitz, Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means

Sen. Cindy F. Friedman, Vice-Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means

Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Vice-Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means

Sen. Patrick O’Connor, Ranking Minority Member, Senate Committee on Ways and Means

Rep. Todd M. Smola, Ranking Minority Member, House Committee on Ways and Means

CC: The Honorable Senate President Karen E. Spilka

The Honorable Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano

FR: The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, the Massachusetts Tuition Equity Coalition (MTEC) and the Undersigned MIRA Coalition Members, Allies, and Partner Organizations

RE: Access to In-State Tuition Rates at Public Colleges and Universities for Immigrant Graduates of Massachusetts High Schools, Regardless of Immigration Status

We, the 81 undersigned immigrant-serving organizations and allies, are grateful to the leadership of the House and Senate for your generous support for legislation and programs providing critical services and assistance for the Commonwealth’s immigrant and refugee communities in recent years. We are especially grateful for legislative advances that address the needs of the most vulnerable members of our Commonwealth’s diverse immigrant communities, such as last year’s historic passage of the Work and Family Mobility Act.

As you finalize the FY24 budget this year, we respectfully request that the conference committee extend in-state tuition and state-funded education assistance to eligible Massachusetts high school graduates, regardless of their immigration status, as provided in outside section 8 of the Senate budget.

Immigrant advocates and higher education leaders in Massachusetts have long supported broad access to an affordable public college education for immigrant youth, particularly those without status who arrived in the U.S. as children and have been educated in our public schools. Currently these students are required to pay out-of-state or international tuition rates (up to four times the in-state rate). They are overwhelmingly from low-income, hardworking families, often with substantial responsibilities to contribute to family income, but lack access to both federal and state student financial aid. This combination effectively denies some of our most ambitious and talented high school graduates from continuing their education and contributing to the Massachusetts economy.

We support the inclusion of the in-state tuition provision for the following reasons:

Our Commonwealth should continue investing in these students. There are an estimated 15,000 undocumented students currently enrolled in Massachusetts primary schools. Massachusetts should make good on this investment by allowing these students to fulfill their educational potential.

Expanded access to public higher education is an investment in the future Massachusetts workforce. In Massachusetts, immigrants are 80 percent more likely than US-born residents to start their own businesses, ranging from family-owned small businesses to tech startups. Nearly one in four entrepreneurs in Massachusetts is foreign-born.

Our public colleges and universities would benefit from broadening educational access to include these students, given declining Massachusetts enrollment rates. Foreign-born students account for a substantial portion of the public college and university student body. Nationally, 83% of immigrant college students were enrolled in public institutions (as opposed to private ones) in 2018. Meanwhile, college enrollment in Massachusetts has declined by over 10% since 2015.

We believe that Massachusetts has a historic opportunity to join the over 23 states that have expanded public higher educational opportunities to undocumented high school graduates, and continue this legislature’s legacy of support for our immigrant communities. The proposed policy would benefit our public higher education institutions, our labor force, and most importantly, the Massachusetts high school graduates who are educated, work, and pay taxes here in our Commonwealth.

Respectfully,

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Massachusetts Tuition Equity Coalition

32BJ SEIU

ACLU of Massachusetts

Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD)

ADL New England

African Bridge Network

Agencia ALPHA

American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts

Amplify Latinx

Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW)

Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK)

Berkshire Immigrant Center

Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center

Boston City Councilor At-Large Ruthzee Louijeune

Boston Immigrant Justice Accompaniment Network

Boston Teachers Union

Brazilian Women’s Group

Brazilian Worker Center

Brockton Workers Alliance

Cape Cod Coalition for Safe Communities

Central West Justice Center

Centro Presente

Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts

Citizens for Public Schools

Coalition for a Better Acre

Coalition for Safe Communities

Community Action Agency of Somerville, Inc.

Community Economic Development Center New Bedford

Dominican Development Center/ Boston Immigrant Worker Center

East Boston Community Council

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center

Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program

Harvard Representation Initiative

Health Law Advocates

Hildreth Institute

Housing = Health

Immigrant Family Services Institute (IFSI-USA)

Immigrants’ Assistance Center, Inc. (IAC)

International Institute of New England

Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston

League of Women Voters of Marblehead

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts

MAPA Translations, Inc.

Massachusetts Action for Justice

Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS)

Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice

Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (MATSOL)

Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance

Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative

Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)

Maverick Landing Community Services (MLCS)

Mayor Ballantyne, City of Somerville

Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement

Merrimack Valley Project

MetroWest Legal Services

Metrowest Worker Center – Casa

Multicultural Education, Training & Advocacy (META) Inc.

New England Justice for Our Neighbors

Northeast Justice Center

Northeastern University School of Law Immigrant Justice Clinic

Pathway for Immigrant Workers, Inc.

Paulist Center Immigrant Advocacy Group

Progressive Massachusetts

Rian Immigrant Center

Rosie’s Place

Saheli Inc

Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston

Somerville Homeless Coalition, Inc.

Somerville Public Schools

Stories Inspiring Movements (SIM)

Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice

The Welcome Project

TRUE ALLIANCE CENTER INC

uAspire

Unitarian Universalist Mass Action

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445

YWCA Central MA

higher ed immigrants rights

We Protected the Work & Family Mobility Act on the Ballot. Make Sure It Gets Implemented Right

Earlier this month, because of the work of supporters like you, we were able to protect the Work & Family Mobility Act on the ballot and ensure that all qualified drivers, regardless of immigration status, will be able to obtain a driver’s license.

But the work isn’t done. The bill has to be implemented properly.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles is currently accepting public comment on a set of draft regulations for implementing the bill. These regulations, which impose unnecessary restrictions to getting a license, are extremely concerning to those of us who advocated for this law.

Please email the RMV with the Driving Families Forward Coalition’s recommended changes.

So many years of organizing went into making this victory possible: we need to make sure it gets implemented properly.

immigrants rights

Celebrating—and Building on—Historic Victories

On Tuesday, Massachusetts voters made history. We made history.

By voting YES on 1 and passing the Fair Share Amendment, Massachusetts voters said YES to a more equitable tax code and to transformative investments in our public schools and infrastructure.

This victory was years, decades, in the making. Since voters put a flat tax into the state constitution in 1915, Massachusetts has suffered from a regressive tax code, hamstringing our ability to deliver on a goal on shared prosperity despite great resources. Five times, activists tried to change that, but each time, facing moneyed opposition, misinformation, and anti-tax sentiment, they lost.

But this time, we—the people—won. The millionaires and billionaires of the state will chip in more so that every student can get a high-quality public education, so that our public colleges and universities can get proper funding, so that our roads and bridges can be safe to drive on, and so that our public transit systems can move us around the commonwealth more quickly.

And that win would never have happened without the countless hours of work from members of the Raise Up Mass Coalition, which we have been proud to be a part of. Your hours of signature collection, pledge card collection, phone calling, canvassing, educating friends and neighbors, holding events. It is that work that is the lifeblood of democracy.

By voting YES on 4 and upholding the Work & Family Mobility Act, we cemented our status as the 17th state to ensure that all qualified drivers, regardless of immigration status, can obtain a driver’s license, making our roads safer, expanding economic opportunity, recognizing that mobility is a basic right, and treating our immigrant communities with the dignity they deserve.

That victory, both legislative and ballot, was the result of the Driving Families Forward coalition, which we were proud to be a part of. And it, again, required the work of outreach, of organizing, and of pushing back against misinformation.

Both wins show the power of organizing across the Commonwealth in ways that bring community groups into coalition with labor and in ways that listen to the voices and needs of the most impacted.

So, THANK YOU for what you’ve done in making those victories possible.

But also THANK YOU for the work you will continue to do. Progressive Mass was founded almost ten years ago out of a recognition that this work needs to continue after the election is over. That period in between cycles is when we preserve and grow the power that we build, where we foster communities of organizers, where we educate our neighbors about what is possible.

We hope you’ll join us in that work by becoming a member of Progressive Mass.

Thank you for all you do.

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The polls close soon…where is your vote?

It’s finally Election Day!!!
This year’s ballot questions have the possibility to greatly impact the safety and equity of life in Massachusetts.

Whether that impact will be positive or negative is up to your YES votes.

Below is an explanation of why we have endorsed YES on Questions 1, 2, and 4 (and for those select districts, 5 and 6). Please share these resources with your family, friends and neighbors and help us promote progressive policy.

YES ON 1: Fair Share Amendment

The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation.

We know that there are lots of questions about how the tax will be implemented and spent. The Fair Share FAQ website has factual, easy to understand answers, including in the extremely rare instances where it will apply to the sale of houses and businesses.

YES on 2: Better Dental Care

In Massachusetts, we have a law that requires medical insurance plans to spend at least 88% of all premiums on health care or efforts to improve the quality of health care delivery. However, no such requirement exists for dental insurance. If Question 2 passes, a minimum of 83% of your premium would have to be spent on care, rather than profit, and strengthen financial transparency of dental insurance companies.

To learn how a Yes vote on Question 2 will require more patient dollars to be spent on patient care check out the Yes on 2 website FAQ.

YES on 4: Safer Roads

A YES on 4 would uphold the Work & Family Mobility Act, a bill passed by 75% of the MA Legislature that would allow qualified drivers – regardless of immigration status – to pass a road test, buy insurance, obtain a license and legally drive in Massachusetts. By voting YES ON 4, Massachusetts voters will ensure that immigrants without status can legally make essential trips, like dropping off kids at school and getting to work, while promoting road safety for all of us.

Learn more about the positive impact similar legislation has made in other states and why it should stay law by visiting the Safer Roads MA FAQ site.

Wait, Is There a Q5 or a Q6, too?

In select state representative districts, there are non-binding advisory questions as well, and if you see them on your ballot, we recommend voting YES on these questions also:

YES on 5, which would instruct the district’s state representative to support legislation to create a single payer health care system in Massachusetts so that we finally treat health care as a right, not a privilege.
YES on 6, which would instruct the district’s state representative to support a change to the MA House’s rules enabling all legislative committees’ votes to be public, posted online as they are in most other states.

Both are clear and simple; and lots of YES votes send a strong message to your state representative.

Some final voting reminders…

If you’re voting in person–find your polling location here! Polls close at 8 pm.
If you haven’t mailed in your ballot yet then unfortunately it is not guaranteed that it will be counted in time. We highly encourage you to vote in person instead.
If you already mailed your ballot, use the track my ballot site to make sure it was accepted. If it was rejected (perhaps missing a signature), you can vote in person today.

If you have any questions about the ballot questions or making your vote count, please feel free to respond to this email- we are here to help!

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PM in the News: Immigration Justice Ballot Measure Tests Massachusetts Progressivism

Tisya Mavuram, “Immigration Justice Ballot Measure Tests Massachusetts Progressivism,” The American Prospect, November 2, 2022.

“For many voters, the idea that everybody who is driving should be licensed and insured just makes sense,” Progressive Massachusetts Political Director Jonathan Cohn told the Prospect.

….

Despite these challenges, Cohn remains optimistic about the coalition behind the Yes on 4 campaign. “It’s important to make sure that your legislative campaigns are done in such a way that you build an organizing apparatus to not only win legislation but to protect legislation,” he said. “Passing a bill is the first step.”

elections immigrants rights