AG HEALEY ISSUES FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND ENFORCEMENT
Leads Coalition of 10 Attorneys General in Demanding Documents from Trump Administration
BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey today led a coalition of 10 attorneys general in demanding that the Trump Administration turn over documents and other information relating to the detention and deportation of immigrants.
The attorneys general issued Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), seeking details regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), arrests and/or detentions of individuals at sensitive locations, including courthouses and jobsites, and ICE or CBP detainer requests and databases.
“The Trump Administration has stoked fear across the country through its Executive Orders targeting immigrant communities, and they cannot continue to operate in the dark,” AG Healey said. “Our states, cities, and local law enforcement need real information about how federal immigration policies are being enforced in our communities in order to serve the public and keep people safe.”
In the request, the attorneys general reference local and national media reports of the deportation of individuals approved for DACA, individuals meeting with federal immigration officials to discuss their status, and even U.S. citizens.
The attorneys general are seeking information from federal agencies about the detention and deportation of individuals approved for DACA and immigration enforcement at sensitive locations – which include hospitals, courthouses and school grounds. Some of the specific information the attorneys general have requested include information about the detention or deportation of any individual previously granted approval or extension of DACA, data about detainers requests issued by ICE or CBP, memos related to ICE or CBP-designated sensitive locations, and information about arrests and/or detentions within 100 feet of a courthouse.
Earlier this year, AG Healey issued guidance to health care providers and local public school districtsin Massachusetts following inquiries from health care providers and public school officials about the impact of federal immigration policies and executive orders on patients and students. This guidance followed an advisory the AG’s Office also sent this year reminding local public school districts of their obligation under state and federal law to provide all students with equal access to primary and secondary education, irrespective of citizenship or immigration status.
Led by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the other members of the coalition seeking this information include the attorneys general of California, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia.
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