IN THE COMMUNITY
Bostonians of the Year 2025: First responders, university presidents, and others who exemplified courage Speaking up with the world’s eyes upon them. Rushing into a burning building. Standing firm when others folded. In choosing the difficult path, they showed us what strength looks like. – Boston Globe
Massachusetts Church’s ‘ICE Was Here’ Nativity Scene Is Protected Speech, Even if ICE Doesn’t Like It Rev. Stephen Josoma of St. Susanna Parish defended the message against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. – Reason
The Hyde Square Task Force honors MIRA with their Inspiring Leader Award
It’s been such a challenging year for immigrants, from the many families who have seen a loved one arrested, detained or deported, to the folks who just this past week were pulled out of their naturalization ceremony – turning what should have been a day of joyful celebration to one of devastation and uncertainty. Yet other immigrants remain here, still working at their jobs, caring for their families and hoping to escape notice by this cruel administration– while every day fearing for what more is coming. It’s a hard time to find the hope and light in this place we find ourselves in right now. Often we feel that we are navigating dark days, and all that we can do is find solidarity in the ongoing work.
“They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.” Greek poet Dinos Christianpoulos
When I think of this quote, I find a powerful hope for this time. Hope that young people today are seeing this current cruelty and dedicating themselves right now to creating a more just and humane world. The youth participating in programs like the Hyde Square Task Force are going to go on to be the leaders of justice work whether it’s soon, or 20 and 30 years from now. They are the seeds being nurtured right now. They will not be buried. We will not be buried. – Liz Sweet, MIRA’s Executive Director
IN THE COURTS
Illinois Gov. Pritzker signs law seeking to limit immigration enforcement at schools, daycares The bill also curtails enforcement actions at courthouses, hospitals and more – NBC Chicago
Trump administration’s immigrant detention policy broadly rejected by federal judges – The Conversation
Trump administration sued over removal of app for tracking immigration agents’ whereabouts App developer sues Trump administration, alleging free speech violations – Reuters
US citizens from SoCal testify in Washington as new report denounces ‘unconstitutional detentions‘ Their testimonies are among the more than 20 included in a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report titled “Unchecked Authority: Examining The Trump Administration’s Extrajudicial Immigration Detentions of U.S. Citizens” – ABC7
INSPIRATION AND WAYS TO TAKE ACTION
Resistance to the administration’s Proposed Public Charge rule continues to gather steam as nearly 400 individuals and organizations have already submitted public comments. While this is a strong start, it is a far cry from the opposition that organizers mobilized against changes to public charge during the last Trump Administration.
We encourage everyone to make your voices heard, and there are multiple ways you can do this. The Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition has provided a number of resources to express opposition, including their own sign-on comment for organizations and model comments for both service providers and sector specific organizations. For organizations with a focus on Asian American populations, Asian Americans Advancing Justice has their own comment that they invite others to sign-on to. MIRA is also in the process of drafting our own comment for MA organizations to sign-on to, and we will be sharing that in the next few days.
If your organization would like to tell your own story, but do not have time to write your own comment, MIRA is soliciting stories for inclusion in our comment, and you can share any stories by filling out this form by EOD on Friday 12/12/25.
Individuals and organizations are not limited to one response; you are free to write your own comment and sign-on to others’ comments as you find appropriate. Comments are due before midnight on Friday Dec 19 and can be submitted here.