Friday February 21, 2025
Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)
This Week’s Top News
MIRA’s First Immigrants’ Rights Spring Conference March 19: Preparing for Action Together
This year, in preparation for the 29th annual Immigrants’ Day at the State House, MIRA is hosting our first Immigrants’ Rights Conference! The conference will be held March 18th from 9am to 6pm at the Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge. Preparing For Action, it will be an opportunity for advocates and community members to come together in solidarity, learning and preparing for the advocacy and lobbying that we will do on Thursday March 19 at Immigrants’ Day at the State House.?
It’s more important than ever to stand up for our immigrant communities, and urge our legislators to do the same. This year at our Immigrant Rights Conference on March 18th, we will be Preparing for Action by coming together to learn how immigrant rights are being affected right now, and what we can do to protect them. At the conference we’ll be hearing from immigrants rights leaders, sharing our legislative priorities, and holding workshops focused on helping us develop our advocacy skills. Our speakers and workshops will help us answer questions weighing on all of us:??
What policies can we advocate for to protect our immigrant communities?
How can we convince our legislators to stand up for immigrant rights??
What are some approaches to responding to immigration enforcement in our communities?
What can we do to take care of ourselves and remain resilient in the face of adversity?
Speakers will include:
Cristina Aguilera Executive Director of Massachusetts Office for Immigrants and Refugees
Nicole Melaku Executive Director of National Partnership for New Americans
Guerline Jozef Co-Founder and Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance
Workshops will include:
Fundraising for immigrant rights and services in 2025: Tips from funders
Advocacy: How to talk to legislators
Rapid Response Approaches to Immigration Enforcement
Wellness: Remembering Our Ancestral Resilience by A’dahi Baira?
There will be music, lunch, and the presentation of MIRA’s Leadership Award in Honor of Christine Ntagengwa
This conference day will prepare us to come Together In Action at Immigrants Day at the State House on Thursday March 19th. This will be the 29th annual IDSH, a much-anticipated day of celebration and action. At the State House we will be speaking to our legislators directly, ?and urging them to support policies that protect our immigrant communities, like the Safe Communities Act and the Immigrant Legal Defense Act. (Free registration for IDSH Thursday March 19 here)
Immigration Impact: Communities Continue to Stand by Immigrants Amidst Fear, Heightened Enforcement
The first few weeks of President Trump’s second term in office have instilled a heightened level of fear, as longtime neighbors, residents, and tightly knit communities have encountered increased federal immigration enforcement, elimination of safeguards like sensitive locations, and significant shifts in immigration policies.
Nevertheless, many communities continue to show up for one another in big ways and small to defend their neighbors, their loved ones, and their homes.
“A Day Without Immigrants” and Other Actions
From the business community to grassroots groups, a variety of voices have organized to push back and spotlight the harm of recent enforcement actions, like efforts to carry out mass deportations.
Across the United States, businesses participated in “A Day Without Immigrants” on February 3. With sales halted for a day, businesses in places like the?Twin Cities, Minnesota;?Houston, Texas;?and?Salt Lake City, Utah,?highlighted the destructive consequences of mass deportations on their businesses, their community, and the economy.
Grassroots efforts organized protests to support immigrants and refugees nationwide—from Texas and Idaho to Missouri and Arizona, and many more places in between. Community members pushed forward their support, even as many of their states continue to grow increasingly hostile to immigrant communities.
Local law enforcement officials have also continued to pledge to serve the greater community good,?stressing the importance of cultivating and sustaining public trust?between law enforcement and immigrant communities. In communities across North Carolina, for instance, sheriffs are speaking out against the state’s recent decision to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They’ve emphasized that local law enforcement’s main directive is to protect and serve their community, not instill fear. READ MORE
Federal Policy Update
Check out MIRA’s new Policy Updates page for regular state and federal policy information
Now The Good News
You can find information about upcoming Know Your Rights trainings here
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel - we will continue to add resources in multiple languages as they become available
MIRA in the News
CBS News: Some Massachusetts schools see spike in absences amid immigration fears Read more
Fast Company: 5 Ways you can help immigrant communities being targeted by Trump policies Read more
New Bedford Light: Know your rights: How to interact with law enforcement or ICE Read more
WGBH: Educators learn how to deal with immigration enforcement Read more
MassLive: Mass. immigration judge fired by Trump administration Read more
More MIRA in the news:
New Bedford Light: Amid fears of deportation, immigration advocates help families prepare Read more
The Herald News: Mass. immigrant support coalition impacted by funding freeze, IAC and MAPS not affected Read more
Jamaica Plain News: First They Came for the Immigrants…This Time, JP Speaks Out Read more
What’s Happening at MIRA
Know Your Rights training in Marlborough with Pastor Rodrigo, Senator Jamie Eldridge, State Representative Carmine Gentile and Marlborough City Councilor Robert Preciado
Stand up for your immigrant neighbors:?Learn what local organizations are doing to defend immigrant rights and how you can help.
Save the date:?Tuesday, March 11 at 7:00 pm at First Baptist Church?(633 Centre St)
Come get informed about the local impact of the administration’s assault on immigrant rights and lives, and learn what we can do to defend our immigrant neighbors. Leaders representing various organizations will speak about advancing legal, legislative, and community mobilization efforts, which will be followed by Q&A and break-out groups to deepen the dialogue.
This is an opportunity to learn and get involved.
You must RSVP for this event at?https://www.mobilize.us/jpprogressives/event/756632/.?
Organizations on the panel?(as of the time of publication): MIRA?(Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy?Coalition) BIJAN?(Boston Immigrant Justice Accompaniment Network) Cosecha Brazilian Women’s Group Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
Organized by the JPP Immigration Rights Action Group (JPP-IRAG)
Registration and ticket links are live (click on the images above)! Stay tuned to the MIRA website for more details about this year’s Immigrants’ Day at the State House and MIRA’s first Immigrants’ Rights Conference – 2 days of advocacy and celebration!
Save the date for MIRA’s 29th annual Give Liberty a Hand event. For sponsorship opportunities and more information visit our website.
When: Thursday May 29 6-9pm
Where: Artists for Humanity, Boston
Tickets and more details: stay tuned
Upcoming Trainings, Workshops and Webinars
Thursday February 27 1-2pm: Immigration Policy Updates and the Work Ahead Register here
MIRA’s Winter Training Series is open for registration! Register for one or for the whole series
Local & National News
NY Times: Something Extraordinary Is Happening All Over the World Read more
NBC News: The latest on Trump's immigration crackdown — and the reality of limited resources ?Read more
AP News: Your immigration questions answered: What has changed under Trump, what hasn’t and what’s next Read more
Politico: Trump administration fires new immigration judges Read more
Boston25 News: Trump administration halts support for representing unaccompanied children in immigration court Read more
Cultural Offerings
The Grove
Ufot Family Cycle
Written By Mfoniso Udofia
Directed by Awoye Timpo
Where: the Huntington Theatre
When: Playing Feb 7 – March 9
Please use and share the videos, social graphics, printables and links in this multilingual digital toolkit to spread the word and provide access to important resources for our immigrant communities. Materials will be added as they are created.
Get Involved
MIRA’s Americorps New American Integration Program is looking for host sites for the 2025-26 season!
Mayor’s Youth Summit Feb 22 5-8pm Info here
With a federal government committed to the mass detention and deportation of immigrants and actively stripping away existing rights and protections, Massachusetts must take a stand.
Two bills introduced in the Massachusetts legislature?would help prevent the deportation of our immigrant friends, neighbors and community members and protect their access to justice and protection.
Ask your state legislators to co-sponsor these two bills.?Use our form to easily send an email to your state senator and representatives
Donate to the MIRA Coalition
Share the News!
Encourage your friends to sign up for our Bulletin here!