According to a report from the Boston Herald, two top judges in Massachusetts recently sent a public letter to U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) sharply criticizing the federal agency for detaining and deporting immigrants while local legal matters are still pending—without notifying local officials. Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Ralph Gants […]
Immigration Law
Category • Immigration Law Blog
Massachusetts Lawmakers Hold Hearing on Sanctuary State Bill
As reported by CBS Boston, Massachusetts legislators recently held an important hearing regarding the possibility of becoming a sanctuary state. If passed into law, the Safe Communities Act would limit interactions between state and local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration officers. Additionally, the legislation also calls for an end to ‘287G Agreements’—through which state […]
Federal Judge Orders Major Changes to Bond Hearings in Boston Immigration Court: Burden of Proof Now on the Government
According to reporting from WBUR, a federal judge has determined that the procedural rules that put the burden of proof on undocumented immigrants in a bond hearing are unconstitutional. In an important win for immigrant rights, the decision from Judge Patti Saris will change the way bond hearings are handled in our region. Here, our […]
Extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Helps More than 12,300 Immigrants in Massachusetts
In November, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from six countries. Protections that were set to expire at the beginning of 2020 have been extended an additional year. According to a story published by MassLive, more than 12,000 immigrants in the Commonwealth of […]
Representing Thousands of Affected Immigrants, a Massachusetts Civil Rights Group is Suing to Stop the Trump Administration’s Fast-Track Deportation Policy
According to reporting from CBS Boston, the Lawyers for Civil Rights—a Boston-based legal organization—has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration in order to protect immigrants in Massachusetts and around the country. The legal complaint was filed on behalf of two immigrant rights advocacy groups: Centro Presente and Pioneer Valley Workers Center—both of which […]
Devastating News: Boston Immigrants With ‘Special Medical Status’ May Soon Be Ordered to Leave the Country
On August 26th, 2019, WBUR reported that United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has been sending out notification letters stating that the agency is no longer going to consider deportation waivers for immigrants with serious medical issues. Instead, these matters will be handled by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Evidence that Policy Has Changed […]
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh Supports Immigrants, Stands Behind Newly Amended ‘Trust Act’
As reported by WGBH, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh recently told Boston Public Radio that immigrants should be able to feel safe in our city. The mayor’s statements came after rumors swirled that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), under the instructions of the Trump Administration, was preparing to launch major raids in dozens of cities […]
Undocumented Immigrants in Massachusetts are Fighting for the Right to Get a Driver’s License
According to the most recent information provided by the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), undocumented immigrants are eligible to apply for a driver’s license in 12 different U.S. states. Unfortunately, Massachusetts is not one of these states. A group of activists is pushing to make a change. As reported by Inequality.org, the Pioneer Valley […]
Two Massachusetts Prosecutors Sue Trump Administration Over Courthouse Immigration Arrests
According to reporting from Boston.com, two of the top prosecutors in Massachusetts have filed a joint lawsuit against the federal government, challenging the Trump Administration’s authority to conduct immigration enforcement operations at courthouses. This action comes days after a Massachusetts judge was indicted for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant escape out the backdoor of a […]
Los Angeles 7-Eleven Stores Raided By ICE Agents, No Warrants Were Presented
On the morning of January 10th, 2018, federal immigration agents raided 7-Eleven store locations in nearly two dozen states across the country. According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, several 7-Eleven stores in Southern California were among those that were subject to the immigration raids. Questions are now being raised over whether or not […]