New Report by PHRGE Looks at Response of Massachusetts Municipalities to Trump-Era Immigration Enforcement Policies

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.”

About Northeastern University School of Law

The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,000 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.

For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu