MIRA Blog
MIRA advocates for the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees. In partnership with its members, MIRA advances this mission through policy analysis and advocacy, institutional organizing, training and leadership development, and strategic communications.
During last year's State Senate budget debate, a package of harmful amendments were passed that became the most severe blow to immigrant rights by the Massachusetts legislature in recent memory, the core effects of which eventually defused by the conference committee.
They are back.
Senators Tarr, Hedlund and Knapik filed a number of anti immigrant amendments in the FY2012 budget: from a 24 hour hotline to report suspected undocumented workers anonymously, to E-verify mandate and barring in-state tuition.
Please contact your Senators to let them know that you are against these amendments!
Sample call:
Hello, my name is _______ and I live in (city). I’m calling to strongly urge the Senator to vote NO on all anti-immigrant amendments to be debated in the Senate budget.
(If you would like you can list specific amendments by number, which are summarized below)
To find out who your Senator is please visit - www.wheredoivotema.com
Here is a summary of the amendments:
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Basically bars US citizen children from state public housing if their parents do not have, do not yet have or cannot prove a lawful immigration status. |
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Allows police to seize your car if they suspect you are undocumented and to keep it and sell it if you are deportable |
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Increases penalties for using or creating false documents |
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Poll workers may ask for state ID from anyone before voting |
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Requires all health services applications to be verified via federal database |
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Requires a license or state ID to register a vehicle increases the penalties associated with using, creating, selling, or distributing an altered or false ID |
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Increases penalties for driving without a license |
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Requires a Social Security number for ALL medical applications |
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