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Legislature hears broad coalition push for immigrant defense funding and limits on ICE collaboration
Summary
Advocates, unions and local officials urged the Joint Committee on the Judiciary to fund statewide immigration counsel and to bar new 287(g) deputization agreements and informal collaboration with ICE, saying recent enforcement spikes have harmed schools, health care access and community trust.
Advocates from unions, legal services and faith groups told the Joint Committee on the Judiciary that Massachusetts should fund legal representation for people in immigration proceedings and refuse to enable federal immigration enforcement.
"This bill would draw a clear line between local public safety functions and federal civil immigration enforcement," said Jessica Tang on behalf of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, arguing S.1122 would protect students and families who fear routine interactions with local authorities could lead to detention. Other witnesses described spikes in ICE arrests and said local collaboration — including 287(g) deputization…
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