In a statement released Monday, Senator Robert L. Hedlund is leading a group of bipartisan legislators calling on the legislature to approve a new comprehensive proposal filed this week and addresses the strain placed on municipalities, statewide finances, and public safety as a result of illegal immigration.

The bipartisan reforms were introduced at a press conference held at the State House, Monday September 26^th, and attended by many legislators from both The House and Senate, and on both sides of the aisle.

The reform legislation includes a number of previously filed provisions long championed by Sen. Hedlund including immigration status screening for state-subsidized public housing applicants, a ban on registering a car without a valid driver’s license (so called x-registrations), and a statutory prohibition on in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. In addition, the legislation would increase fines for those who drive without a license as well as those who produce fake driver’s licenses and other forms of identification.

These reforms follow in the wake of several recent incidents highlighting the serious illegal immigration problem facing the Commonwealth. The most horrific example ended in the death of Matthew Denice. Denice was a 23 year old man from Milford who was hit on his motorcycle and dragged a quarter of a mile to his death by Nichloas Guaman an illegal immigrant from Ecuador, who was driving drunk without a valid license and with his 6 year old son in his truck. Reform also comes on the heels of Eduardo Torres, a 6 time DUI offender arrested Saturday (September 24^th) night in Boxborough. Torres, a native of Mexico, was previously deported. In another recent case, Hingham Police Officer Dan Leary, after witnessing a motor vehicle crash, saw one of the operators attempting to walk away, Leary detained the man who then provided 3 false identities and was arrested. At the station, Hingham Police determined the man Antonio Ferreira-Silva, a 44 year old Brazilian man, was wanted by Homeland Security, and after arraignment on the Hingham charges was picked up by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

“The time for reform was before someone was killed by the reckless actions of an individual who should not have been here. Unfortunately we too often legislate reactively instead of proactively,” said Senator Hedlund. “I have long championed the reforms included in this bi-partisan reform package, and the needs for such reforms have never been clearer. I will continue to lead the charge to address this issue at the state level.”

“This is one of the toughest, most comprehensive, and practical reform packages we have proposed in all my years here in Beacon Hill,” Sen. Hedlund said. “These are concrete reforms that strike at the heart of the support structure that allows illegal immigrants to thrive in the Commonwealth.” 

“An Act to Enhance Community Safety” provisions include:

• Check the citizenship status of any individual prior to arraignment;

• Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving public housing ahead of citizens and legal immigrants;

• Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving in-state tuition benefits at state colleges and universities;

• Direct the state Attorney General to work with US Attorney General to enforce existing federal immigration laws, and direct the Executive Office of Public Safety to report to the legislature on the deployment of the Secure Communities Program;

• Prohibit contractors caught employing illegal immigrants from receiving state contracts;

• Require businesses that contract with the state to conduct immigration status checks of all employees;

• Prohibit those without a valid driver’s license from registering a motor vehicle, except in specified instances;

• Significantly strengthen penalties for those caught driving without a license;

• Strengthen penalties for those caught forging or altering driver’s licenses, learner’s permits and other state identification cards;

• Stiffen penalty for using fake identification to gain public employment;

• Require those submitting an affidavit of indigency to submit their social security number to DOR to verify income eligibility 

“It is clear that the taxpayers of Massachusetts support and want these reforms,” Sen. Hedlund said. “I hope that our colleagues will support these important reform efforts.”