ICE Enforcement in Massachusetts: Know Your Rights, Employer Obligations, and Legal Resources
ArticleThe Boston Bar Association is providing critical information from the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts, the Habeas Project of New England, and the MIRA Coalition in support of Greater Boston’s immigrant communities. These resources are vital as communities across the country face reports of unjustified use of force, warrantless searches and seizures, and wonton disregard for due process and the rule of law.
Employer Guidance:
It is crucial that employers receive the following information. Please share this with employers and employer organizations.
Important Note for All Massachusetts Employers:
- If you receive an I-9 inspection notice, please contact an immigration attorney as soon as possible and post this notice in a visible area of your workplace.
- If Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status expires (as originally scheduled for February 3, 2026, before judicial intervention—which may yet be overturned on appeal), it does not mean that all Haitians in Massachusetts will lose status. Many Haitians have other forms of valid immigration status.
Click here for recent TPS and I-9 guidance from the Attorney General.
Click here for information about ICE in the workplace.
Guidance for Haitian Immigrants
Haitian immigrants must understand what happens next. Click here for information created by MIRA to share with Haitian immigrants (in English and Haitian Creole).
Why do employers need this information now?
An ICE enforcement surge in Massachusetts is possible in the next few weeks. The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI), the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), and the Office of the Attorney General have released essential guidance (below) for employers and immigrants.
The timing is more urgent than ever. Lawful immigrants have the right to know whether ICE is viewing their private I-9 information, finding out where they work and live, and setting them up to be the next person arrested. They have the right to three days’ notice to prepare for a possible detention and deportation.
Is there anything more we can do?
Yes. We must do more than share information in order to protect the safety and well-being of our residents. We are working with our partners in the Senate to pass S. 2665 as quickly as possible. Click here for more information on S. 2665.
More Resources
