Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, today released the following statement in response to the Senate’s passage of a budget amendment to protect immigrant families in Massachusetts:

“We are deeply grateful for the Senate’s leadership to protect our immigrant neighbors and friends, and stand up for Massachusetts values. It is impossible to underestimate the impact these simple policies would have on countless lives of Massachusetts residents. We are all better off when parents do not have to fear being torn from their children and when victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable residents feel safe to reach out to law enforcement for help.

“We now urge the House to adopt these protections for immigrant families as part of a final bill. It’s time for the Commonwealth, like many other states, to act on our values and ensure we are not complicit in the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda.”