The Needham Area Immigration Justice Task Force follows bills before the Massachusetts State Legislature keeps apprised of executive policy decisions that may impact immigrants. Lists of legislation will be posted once the new MA legislation session begins and bills are filed in early winter 2025.
State Legislation
Some of our past priority bills have been passed into law. These include the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, the Safe Drivers Act that enables undocumented immigrants to obtain valid drivers’ licenses. The Tuition Equity Act that makes in-state tuition available to eligible undocumented Massachusetts high school graduates at state colleges and universities.
The Task Force continues to support the Trust Act, which will likely be re-introduced in the next session of the State Legislature. In the past the Trust Act bill prohibited the arrest or detaining of an individual solely on the basis of a civil immigration detainer. Massachusetts law enforcement agencies shall not allow ICE agents to use their facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes, or allow access to inmates either in person, via telephone or video conference.
Other potential bills include those granting access to services, health care, language opportunities, and extending voting rights to non-citizens for certain elections. The bills for the next session will be available in early 2025.