SD 3641 Massachusetts Senate · 194th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act to melt ICE defenses

This bill (SD 3641) claims to prevent federal agency memoranda (like those from ICE) from being used as legal defenses in Massachusetts state courts for civil or criminal cases. It proposes amending state law to state that such federal memoranda "shall not constitute a defense" to violations of state law. However, state courts already do not recognize federal memoranda as valid legal defenses, making this bill redundant and legally unnecessary. The bill is currently referred to the Judiciary committee for review but would not change existing legal practice. The title "melt ICE defenses" is a mischaracterization of the bill's actual, non-substantive provisions.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action Feb 12, 2026
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Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Feb 12, 2026
Committee
Referred to the committee on The Judiciary
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Committee
Referred to the committee on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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