Bill > H4115

This bill establishes two key provisions related to immigration protection: First, it creates an Immigrant Legal Assistance Fund administered by the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, which will provide funding to organizations offering legal representation to undocumented immigrants in court. The fund can receive money from state appropriations, private sector contributions, federal grants, and other donations, and any unspent money will not revert to the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year. The corporation must submit an annual report about the fund's activities to specific legislative committees by December 31st. Second, the bill restricts local and state law enforcement agencies from sharing information about an individual's immigration status with federal authorities, with the only exception being when an individual has a documented criminal conviction verified through the state's criminal offender record information database. Any information sharing must follow departmental protocols and be authorized by a supervising officer who documents the basis for sharing the information. These provisions aim to protect undocumented immigrants by ensuring access to legal representation and limiting potential immigration enforcement actions by local law enforcement agencies.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4115