August 20, 2014 BOSTON — The Boston City Council voted unanimously on August 20 to adopt an ordinance introduced by Councilor Josh Zakim that would limit the damage of the so-called "Secure Communities" program by refusing cooperation with ICE detainer requests in the absence of probable cause.  Mayor Walsh publicly pledged to sign the Boston Trust Ordinance when Councilor Zakim first filed the proposal earlier this summer.   MIRA celebrates this landmark together with the full Massachusetts Campaign to Restore Trust and the Boston Immigration Group.

At least 5, as many as 10, children were killed in Honduras in the last six months following deportation by U.S. government.

August 20, 2014 BOSTON — The MIRA Coalition reacted strongly to reports that at least 5, and as many as 10, of the many children murdered since February in San Pedro Sula, Honduras were killed following recent deportation by the U.S. government. "We mourn with the families of these children and with all those who have lost a family member to deportation" said Eva Millona, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition. "The current crisis facing Central American families and children is no time to circumvent the requirements of legal due process. When a parent has faced the wrenching choice of whether to send her child on a harrowing journey to possible safety or keep her family intact and risk losing her child to gang violence, our common humanity demands that we take her child's life and safety seriously."

Six candidates speak on issues from safe driving to language access at talk-show style event

(photo courtesy Suzanne Hinton)

August 14, 2014 BOSTON —Twisting around to look up at the sponsors' logos at last night's gubernatorial candidates forum on issues affecting immigrant communities, Republican candidate Mark Fisher pointed out the word "integration" with approval. It was perhaps the only concept that all the candidates present agreed upon over the course of the 90-minute forum at Bunker Hill Community College.

Organized by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), the forum was held in a talk show-style format, with each candidate sitting down for a 15-minute discussion with moderator Phillip Martin, Senior Investigative Reporter at WGBH-FM. Though Republican Charlie Baker and independent Mark Lively declined the invitation, the six candidates in attendance spanned the gamut, including independents Evan Falchuk and Jeff McCormick, and all three Democratic primary candidates, Don Berwick, Martha Coakley and Steve Grossman. Phillip Martin set a friendly, engaged tone with his questions, and the audience of over 200 listened with polite reserve, yet sharp differences between the candidates’ positions still poked up beneath their smooth words.

Speakers urge due process for children who have fled violence in Central America and call for end to family separations

August 8, 2014 BOSTON — "There's a fact that has gotten lost in the media over these past few
weeks," said State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz to hundreds of ralliers in the Boston Common yesterday evening. "At times, the calls coming into the administration have numbered three to one in
FAVOR of the Central American children fleeing violence. It shows that despite a loud minority, the state of Massachusetts cares about all children in need."