THE LEGISLATURE last year approved a new law giving immigrants without legal status the ability to apply for state-issued driver’s licenses. The bill had been kicking around Beacon Hill for […]
Immigration
Posted inCriminal Justice
Advocates blocked from having lawyers at police meeting about missing East Boston woman
A FURTHER EXAMPLE of the disparate treatment by law enforcement of cases involving victims of color and White people, or an innocent misunderstanding in the heat of the moment? Those […]
Posted inImmigration, State Government, State House News Service
House leaders wary of Baker prediction on immigrants
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FORMER GOVERNOR Charlie Baker’s warnings that the state’s emergency assistance shelter system is overfilling with migrants and will not be able to guarantee spots for eligible […]
Posted inEconomy
Low birth rates, slow immigration harms state workforce
ALMOST EVERY INDUSTRY, from hospitals to restaurants, is struggling to hire in Massachusetts. And while some of this may be due to COVID-related factors that will eventually diminish, a new […]
Posted inEconomy
Retaining international students should be a top priority for Massachusetts
THE RECENT MIDTERM elections are just the latest in a long string of events that have put immigration in the national spotlight. Unfortunately, the politics distract the public from understanding […]
Posted inOpinion
A college president’s assessment of DACA
TEN YEARS AGO, on June 15, 2012, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, directed by President Barack Obama, issued a memorandum to US customs, border, and immigration agencies: “Exercising Prosecutorial […]
Posted inImmigration, Politics, State Government
Voters approve millionaires tax, retain driver’s license law for immigrants
MASSACHUSETTS VOTERS DELIVERED a double victory to two progressive causes on Tuesday, approving by narrow margins ballot questions to impose a new income tax surcharge on high earners and to […]
Posted inUncategorized
Question 4 won’t make roads any safer
SINCE 2014, 15 states and the District of Columbia have offered driver’s licenses to those in the country illegally. Three states, Washington, New Mexico, and Utah offered licenses in 1993, […]
Posted inOpinion
Question 4 is an investment in health
“WELL, I’M SCARED to drive to the appointment,” my patient Henry finally admitted over the phone. I heard him catch his breath and hold it. He hadn’t been in for […]
Posted inImmigration, Opinion, Politics
For safety and fairness, vote yes on Question 4
OPPONENTS OF DRIVER’S licenses for undocumented immigrants are hammering one message – fear. Yet, every day we all drive safely next to undocumented workers who legally travel to Massachusetts from […]
Posted inImmigration, Opinion
Cost of citizenship application is barrier for many
About 30,000 people living in Boston are eligible for US citizenship. Nationwide, more than 9 million people are eligible to apply for American citizenship, and yet less than 10 percent […]
Posted inImmigration
Filling in the blanks on Martha’s Vineyard migrant tale
UNLIKE MOST INTRIGUE-FILLED capers, this one came with the ultimate question that’s usually answered at the end of the story – whodunit? – already settled. When two plane loads of […]
Posted inImmigration
Baker once again refuses to criticize DeSantis
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER once again declined to criticize Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for airlifting Venezuelan immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, saying he doesn’t want to get caught in the […]
Posted inPolitics
Filings flesh out opposing sides in immigrant driver’s license fight
UNIONS AND LIBERAL-LEANING groups are spearheading the campaign to keep in place the state’s new law granting driver’s licenses to immigrants without legal status, while a repeal effort is being […]
Posted inImmigration
Baker blames Washington, not DeSantis
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Sunday did not criticize Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida for flying immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard last week. Instead, he blamed Democrats and Republicans in […]
Posted inImmigration, Politics
Why are migrants being flown to Martha’s Vineyard?
Why is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flying immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard? It appears to be mainly a move made for political gain. DeSantis appears to have flown two planeloads of […]
Posted inImmigration, Politics, Transportation
Diehl, through signature effort, finds an issue
REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL candidate Geoff Diehl, whose campaign has been searching for an issue to run on, apparently helped create one. Proponents of an initiative petition overturning a law allowing undocumented […]
Posted inImmigration, State House News Service
Signature effort on immigrant driver’s license law nears goal
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE CAMPAIGN to repeal the new driver’s license law, which is set to open up license access to immigrants without legal status in Massachusetts, said it […]
Posted inCourts, Immigration, Politics
Judge denies Mass GOP request for restraining order against state senator
A MIDDLESEX SUPERIOR COURT judge on Friday declined to issue a restraining order sought by Massachusetts Republican Party chairman Jim Lyons against state Sen. Jamie Eldridge. Lyons wanted to keep […]
Posted inImmigration, Transportation
Undocumented immigrants can get Mass. drivers’ licenses in July 2023
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE completed its override of Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto on Thursday, allowing immigrants without legal status to obtain a driver’s license in Massachusetts. The state is the 17th, in addition […]
Posted inImmigration, Transportation
Baker vetoes driver’s license bill for undocumented immigrants
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Friday vetoed a bill that would have allowed immigrants without legal status to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license, a day after the bill reached his desk. […]
Posted inPolitics
House, Senate agree quickly on immigrant driver’s license bill
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A BILL THAT WOULD open access to Massachusetts driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants could reach Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk as soon as next week after legislative […]
