Attorney General Guidance re ICE Raids; ABAWD Training, Utility Rights Training, June Phone Banking

Thank you for all your work on behalf of families and individuals who struggle to put food on the table. Our next Coalition meeting will be on June 24 at 10 AM (Zoom and agenda to come). In the meantime, see updates and resources below.

AGO Guidance on ICE Raids and Additional Info for Immigrant Households

With the increase in ICE raids across the state, we want folks to have info on key resources available in the state. On May 29th, MA AGO Andrea Campbell issued a Know Your Rights guide to state agencies and community organizations to help immigrants, families, and communities understand their rights and the basic legal framework for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions. See AGO press release HERE.

Additional resources:

• LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Mass Hotline for immediate response to ICE raids and related information: LUCEMass.org
• LUCE “Know Your Rights” fliers in multiple languages
• Mass Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition’s Know Your Rights fliers and recorded trainings.
• Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN) hotlines: (617) 396-7143 for persons looking for a loved one who has been detained; (617) 637-8195 for persons who have been detained.

Register for MLRI ABAWD Trainings: June 17 & July 15, 2-3 PM

DTA must implement a federal 3-month time limit for certain SNAP recipients ages 18 through 54 who DTA identifies as “Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents” (ABAWDs). DTA has been sending SNAP and Work notices to the adults who have to meet these rules. The first group of MA residents harmed by these rules will be terminated starting August 1. Here is MLRI’s ABAWD Guide for Community Organizations. Please register for MLRI’s trainings to learn more about how to protect vulnerable adults from termination: Tuesday, June 17 from 2-3 PM and Tuesday, July 15 from 2-3 PM.

June Phone Banking to Swing States to Stop SNAP and Medicaid Cuts

SEIU, Health Care for All, MLRI and Project Bread are continuing phone banking to voters in Maine and likely other states for the next three weeks. We call voters, chat and “patch” them through to the Senate DC office to talk with staff or leave a message! It is easy and very productive. Register HERE for June phone banking dates.

Thanks to our colleagues at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, they have created state by state fact sheets on the impact of the House cuts to both SNAP, Medicaid, higher ed and more. Please share these fact sheets with family and friends and urge them to weigh in.

Utility Rights Training - June 25th 1-2:30 PM

Our colleagues at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) are hosting a FREE training covering the eligibility rules for Massachusetts residents to get utility discounts, how to prevent service from being shut off, and how to restore service if it has been terminated (among other useful advocacy strategies). Register HERE and send questions to stayconnected@nclc.org.

DTA’s May Statewide Update

Each month DTA shares with the local Advisory Boards updates on issues impacting SNAP and cash assistance benefits. Attached to this email is the May Advisory Board update with information on the FY26 State Budget (which has now passed the Senate, and includes higher funding for DTA caseworkers), SNAP work rule changes (see above MLRI training), SNAP skimming theft (see above on advocacy to replace stolen SNAP), DTA Assistance Line challenges and more.