TASK FORCE INFORMATION:
The next issue of From the Chair will be sent on January 8th, barring urgent time sensitive items.  
Our NEXT MEETING will be held via ZOOM on December 14, 2020 at 7:30PM.  Please send me any item you wished to have added to the agenda as soon as possible.  The ZOOM link, courtesy of Karen Price is   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89075896049?pwd=YUh0b0tFd29JemVycXllQzk1cVFpUT09
The meeting for January will be held on January 11, at 7:30pm.  If you wish to have an item added to the agenda, please email me by Wednesday, Jan 6 at noon.

LITIGATION NEWS:

On December 4, 2020, a U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ordered  DHS to fully reinstate the DACA program, finding that Wolf’s July 2020 memo reconsidering the DACA program must be put aside. The order is effective immediately, and DHS is required by the order to post a public notice stating that it is accepting new, initial DACA applications, work permits are valid for two years, and DACA recipients are eligible to apply for Advance Parole. The court had previously held in a November 14, 2020, decision  that Chad Wolf was not lawfully serving as DHS Acting Secretary under the Homeland Security Act when he issued the July 28, 2020, memorandum suspending DACA following the Supreme Court decision in DHS v. Regents of the University of California.
LOCAL NEWS:>>For the latest news from MISN, see:  https://mailchi.mp/5ecd8c0dff12/misn-newsletter-5088898?e=8316703924   There are several items of interest.

>>MIRA’s newsletter can be found at https://mailchi.mp/miracoalition/dont-forget-speaker-series-on-tuesday-3239774?e=f201471685

>>Bev had a telcon with Eva Millona, CEO and President of MIRA on December 8th as follows: The fight is on until the end of the session. If it does not happen this cycle we will refile the bills and join forces to get it through the finish line next year. Thank you for all your support. Reach out anytime . Cell 508.615.7684 

>>In addition Bev calls our attention to the Nov. 22 NYT, there is an editorial by Jay Caspian Kang: “The Immigrant Vote Doesn’t Exist”. Toward the end concerning the Democrats and Biden, he says: “…the Democratic Party should not entirely abandon its antiracist message. Part of the effort must include a much-needed clarification of the different needs of Black Americans and Latino and Asian immigrants, that would end the confusing and harmful conflation between two groups, whose interests and action are often at odds with one another….The path forward is to create coalitions that make sense, not only for the immigrants themselves, but also in their relationships with both working-class Black and white Americans.”
Based on the immigration webinar Bev watched recently, they intend that Mass. will do this (path forward). The help for health and being able to drive during the pandemic is important for all human beings. As they said – “immigration justice equals racial justice”.  The speakers of that webinar are indicated here.  https://www.facebook.com/DrivingFamiliesForward

>>On December 8, 2020, WBUR reports that Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) sent a letter to EOIR (Immigration Court) expressing “grave concern” and demanding answers about recent changes to court filing deadlines that could affect dozens of immigration cases across the United States. Amid the pandemic, attorneys have received new orders from EOIR that fast-tracked filing deadlines for some of their clients. Rep. Pressley also noted in her letter that the AILA New England Chapter reports that many of the scheduling orders include “boilerplate language that is inaccurate in many cases.”SEE:  https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/12/08/pressley-demands-answers-from-arm-of-doj-that-expedited-deadlines-in-immigration-cases-many-affecting-children?utm

I look forward to seeing you on Monday evening,
Be wellGerry