THE IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS Enforcement agency on Wednesday asked an appellate court to lift a temporary injunction and allow agents to resume making civil arrests of undocumented individuals in and around Massachusetts courthouses. ICE agents were blocked from Massachusetts courthouses in June 2019, when District Court Judge Indira Talwani issued a temporary injunction sought by […]
Immigration
Posted inCriminal Justice
Judge Joseph loses bid to toss charges against her
SUSPENDED NEWTON District Court Judge Shelley Richmond Joseph and retired court officer Wesley MacGregor will face trial on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice after US District Court Judge Leo Sorokin denied their motions to dismiss the charges, according to a court filing. The judge said in his order that the trial could proceed […]
Posted inEducation
Lawsuits seek records on info-sharing with feds
STUDENT ADVOCACY GROUPS filed lawsuits on Thursday against the Boston Public Schools and the Boston Police Department seeking records that would shed light on how the two city agencies share information on students with federal law enforcement agencies. The student advocacy groups, which say they have been unable to get the information they want via […]
Posted inEducation
International college freshmen may be barred after all
A HARVARD UNIVERSITY dean told students in an email Tuesday that incoming international freshmen will not be able to come to campus this fall due to federal visa restrictions. The message came one week after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement abandoned an order that would have barred foreign students this fall if their college or […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
While tackling police reform, don’t ignore crucial bills on immigrant rights
MASSACHUSETTS AND THE nation are reckoning with their racist past during a devastating pandemic where blacks and Latinxs are twice as likely to die from COVID-19. But, any efforts addressing racial equity and police reform here and beyond must include immigrants, a majority of whom are black and Latinx in the Commonwealth. Spurred by racial justice protests in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, […]
Posted inUncategorized
Groups seek to add immigrant driver’s license authorization to police bill
AS THE HOUSE GATHERS testimony on a policing reform bill passed earlier this week by the Senate, S.2820, some immigrant and worker groups are calling for the legislation to add language to grant driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. Service Employees International Union 32BJ, Brazilian Workers Center, and Pioneer Valley Workers Center plan to rally today in front […]
Posted inThe Download
Groups seek to add immigrant driver’s license authorization to police bill
As the House gathers testimony on a policing reform bill passed earlier this week by the Senate, S.2820, some immigrant and worker groups are calling for the legislation to add language to grant driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. Service Employees International Union 32BJ, Brazilian Workers Center, and Pioneer Valley Workers Center plan to rally today in […]
Posted inUncategorized
Bill limiting local police and ICE interaction moves forward
A CONTROVERSIAL BILL that would limit communications between law enforcement entities in Massachusetts and federal immigration authorities is moving forward on Beacon Hill. Rep. Harold Naughton, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, confirmed that Safe Communities Act was passed by the committee with a favorable recommendation and will move on […]
Posted inEducation
Trump administration reverses course on international student ban
IN A STUNNING reversal, the Trump administration has agreed to abandon its earlier order for international students to leave the country if their college or university is only offering online classes during the fall. US District Court Judge Allison Burroughs made the announcement in a brief video hearing Tuesday afternoon in a lawsuit brought by […]
Posted inEducation
Healey, fellow AGs sue ICE over international student ban
MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey on Monday joined more than a dozen other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop a new federal rule that threatens to bar hundreds of thousands of international students from studying in the United States. The lawsuit, filed in federal court against the US Department of Homeland Security […]