This bill requires Massachusetts local law enforcement agencies to comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requests to detain individuals convicted or charged with specific serious offenses: aggravated felonies (e.g., murder, drug trafficking), violent crimes, gang offenses, or terrorism. It mandates holding these individuals for ICE custody if they meet any of these categories, or if an officer determines they pose a public safety threat. The law applies to all state, municipal, college, and university police departments, sheriffs' offices, and correctional facilities within Massachusetts. It creates a legal obligation for local agencies to honor these ICE detainer requests under defined circumstances.
This bill amends an existing emergency housing assistance program by adding a requirement that applicants must be U.S. citizens. It directly affects homeless families residing in the Commonwealth who are not U.S. citizens, restricting their access to this program. The key provision changes the program's eligibility rules to exclude non-citizens, overriding any conflicting laws or regulations. The bill does not create new housing but modifies who can receive existing emergency housing aid.
This bill amends Massachusetts' emergency housing assistance program to require that recipients be U.S. citizens. It directly affects non-citizen residents of Massachusetts who previously qualified for emergency shelter assistance under the program. The key provision explicitly states that the program "shall be available only to residents of the commonwealth who are citizens of the United States," overriding any existing laws that might allow non-citizens to receive aid. This change narrows eligibility to U.S. citizens, removing prior access for non-citizen residents who met other program criteria.
This bill requires Massachusetts state and local law enforcement agencies to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests. It mandates that agencies notify ICE at least 24 hours before releasing an individual subject to a detainer or hold them for up to 48 hours, and prohibits agencies from having policies that refuse such requests. The law also requires all law enforcement officials to complete training on detainer procedures within six months and mandates annual reports detailing how many detainers were honored, with reasons for any non-compliance. The bill directly affects all state, municipal, and campus police departments, sheriffs' offices, courts, and correctional facilities in Massachusetts.
SD 723 allows Massachusetts court officers to temporarily detain individuals for up to 12 hours at ICE's request, provided a judge confirms specific public safety risks. It directly affects immigrants facing deportation who meet criteria like terrorism convictions, gang involvement, certain felonies, or serious crimes (e.g., domestic violence, drug trafficking). The bill requires judges to review ICE's written request and administrative warrant before granting detention and mandates written justification if denied. It also requires judges to consider ICE detainer requests when setting or adjusting bail, potentially delaying release pending federal action.
HD 1873, "An Act protecting Massachusetts workers," requires most Massachusetts employers to verify new employees' work authorization using the federal E-Verify program. It directly affects employers (including businesses with state licenses, governments, and self-employed individuals) who hire employees, excluding independent contractors. Key provisions mandate verification after hiring, prohibit intentional hiring of unauthorized workers, create a simplified complaint process for violations (without requiring social security numbers), and direct investigations to the Attorney General or district attorneys. The bill also requires federal verification of immigration status (not state determination) and establishes penalties for false complaints. It applies to violations occurring on or after January 1, 2022.
This bill requires Massachusetts sheriffs, correctional facilities, and local law enforcement agencies to only perform federal immigration enforcement activities (under 8 U.S.C. § 1357(g)) if the federal government covers all costs, including employee compensation. It mandates that these entities maintain public records of such activities and submit annual reports to specific legislative committees, including the committees on ways and means and public safety. The law also defines key terms like "agreement" and "law enforcement agency" to clarify which state and local entities must comply.
This bill allows Massachusetts law enforcement officers (like police, sheriffs, and state troopers) to temporarily hold non-citizens who meet specific criteria for up to 12 hours to transfer them to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It directly affects individuals convicted of certain serious crimes - such as domestic violence, drug trafficking, gang-related offenses, or violent felonies - as defined in the bill. Key provisions require ICE to provide a written request and warrant, a supervisory officer to verify public safety threats based on listed criteria, and a court to review the detention within 12 hours. The bill explicitly prohibits holding individuals for immigration purposes without these safeguards and ensures court records remain public.
This bill modifies Massachusetts law regarding immigration cooperation and emergency housing assistance. For public safety, it requires state/local law enforcement to detain certain individuals for up to 12 hours (with judicial review within that timeframe) when ICE requests custody for non-citizens convicted of specific serious offenses like terrorism, gang activity, or violent crimes. For emergency housing, it restricts eligibility to U.S. citizens or immigrants with 12 consecutive months of continuous Massachusetts residency, requiring specific documentation (e.g., tax returns, driver's license, utility bills) and prohibiting fraudulent applications. These changes directly affect immigrants seeking housing assistance and law enforcement agencies handling ICE requests.
By Ms. Dooner, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 973) of Kelly A. Dooner for legislation to prohibit any financial incentives for landlords providing emergency housing for nonresident migrants. Housing.
