Advocacy platform

H.3596/S.1107 | Rep. Christine Barber, Rep. David Rogers, Sen. Adam Gomez

Hundreds of immigrant community members are held every day at the Plymouth County Jail. Despite complaints about inhumane conditions, the sheriff recently renewed the contract with ICE, increasing the number of beds used to facilitate federal deportation. Nothing in current law prohibits more sheriffs — or any other local or state entities — from renting more detention space and signing new contracts with ICE. By limiting detention space available to ICE it will limit MA’s role in mass deportations. The Dignity Not Deportations Act would prohibit Massachusetts entities, including sheriffs, from voluntarily renting beds to ICE and prohibit Massachusetts entities from donating time and volunteering state resources to ICE by signing contracts – such as 287(g) agreements – that deputize local officials as ICE agents.

Dignity not deportation

H.1469/S.1011 | Rep. Christine Barber, Sen. Liz Miranda
H.1488/S.961 | Rep. Marjorie Decker, Sen. Brendan Crighton
H.216/S.136 | Rep. Marjorie Decker, Sen.Adam Gomez

For over 40 years, the Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter program has provided shelter and services to eligible Massachusetts children and families experiencing homelessness. 

Since November 2023, new policies from the Governor and Legislature have chipped away at access to shelter, including significant changes to access and length of stay in February 2025. Recent shelter restrictions are forcing more children, parents, and pregnant people with nowhere to sleep into unsafe places; increasing unsheltered homelessness; and disproportionately harming immigrant families. 

We are organizing around legislation and the state budget to fund this critical program and not let the state continue to strip away the right to shelter for both new arrivals and long-time Massachusetts families.

This will include using the state budget process to improve the EA shelter system, as well as push back against further cuts to the system. This will also include supporting the following bills:

  • An Act promoting housing stability for families by strengthening the HomeBASE program (H.1469 / S.1011) 

  • An Act providing upstream homelessness prevention assistance to families, youth, and adults (H.1488/ S.961) 

  • An Act improving emergency housing assistance for children and families experiencing homelessness (H.216/S.136)

right to shelter

state

pardons

NOTE:We are still formulating what this demand is going to be based on what impacted communities need and how to maximize the power of the tool of State Pardons.

Grassroots groups of directly impacted people and groups serving immigrants  are coming together to shape demands of the Healey administration to protect our communities from the Trump administration by granting pardons for immigrants with state convictions who are especially vulnerable to deportation. 

The Governor, with the approval of the Governor's Council, has the power to pardon, or forgive, state level convictions which erases those convictions from someone's state record. While the federal government can still see the underlying conviction in some cases, these pardons are an essential tool helping people access discretionary relief. 

Immigrants with convictions have already endured the racism of the criminal legal system, served their punishment, and have or are rebuilding their lives with their families and neighbors. Pardons can offer some protection from deportation for community members so they can continue parenting, working, and contributing. Pardon power is a unique and essential tool to immediately offer immigrants some relief and protection. Legislators can also support their constituents' petitions for pardons.

Families for Justice as Healing and other grassroots groups who are organizing with immigrants with convictions are in the planning phase on creating specific actionable demands targeting Governor Healey’s administration.