New Report by PHRGE Looks at Response of Massachusetts Municipalities to Trump-Era Immigration Enforcement Policies
10.27.23 — Northeastern Law’s Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy (PHRGE) has released a new report, “Safe Communities in Massachusetts: The Response of Massachusetts Municipalities to the Immigration Enforcement Policies of the Trump Administration.” The report, co-authored by Elizabeth Ennen ’08, director of PHRGE, Andra Lehotay de León ’23 and Colleen Maney ’20, details how towns and cities in Massachusetts responded to Trump-era immigration policies by enacting “safe community” or “sanctuary” policies at the municipal level. These policies are designed to express support for immigrants and to decrease the participation of local police departments in federal immigration enforcement.
“An immigration enforcement policy that makes immigrants fearful of accessing health care, the judicial system, public safety resources and schools is a policy that violates basic human rights,” said Ennen. “Our hope is that this report will support advocates in Massachusetts and beyond who are working to promote local safe community policies.”
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