Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Chairman Timilty, Chairman González, and Members of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security:
My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the political director for Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide multi-issue advocacy group focused on fighting for a more equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.
Central to our mission and platform is the idea that we all do better when we all do better. When everyone feels safe and welcome in our community, we all benefit. That is why we urge you to give a favorable report to H.2418/S.1579: An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents—the Safe Communities Act.
The holidays are a season when we think about spending time with family. But our immigration system too often focuses on tearing families apart. Across the country and here in Massachusetts (yes, Massachusetts), immigrant families have been separated and detained indefinitely or deported by ICE for any reason or no reason, without due process.
Massachusetts may not be able to stop deportations, but we can stop being complicit. Massachusetts law enforcement officers have, in many cases, voluntarily cooperated with federal immigration enforcement efforts—at Massachusetts taxpayer expense. If immigrants fear that interacting with state officials could get them or family members deported, they will cease to report crimes or emergencies. When immigrants fear state officials, we are all less safe.
Moreover, when local law enforcement is involved with enforcing immigration law, racial profiling is likely. This harms not only the undocumented, but all people of color, who become potential targets for arrest, because they might “look” undocumented.
Lastly, Massachusetts law enforcement is not being paid to act as ICE agents. Cooperating with federal immigration orders costs the Commonwealth money, both from the extra duties and expensive lawsuits over violation of due process.
All of this makes a simple fact clear: the status quo is not keeping people safe. The Safe Communities Act, by contrast, would—by preventing police from inquiring about immigration status, guaranteeing due process rights, limiting notifications to ICE, and ending collaboration agreements that enable state and county officials with ICE.
Although the new administration in Washington has fortunately shown interest in reforming our immigration system, we don’t need to wait to act, especially when we should have acted years ago.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Cohn
Political Director
Progressive Massachusetts
