In Communities

Drawing on two years of input from a wide range of students, faculty, and higher education stakeholders, the ACLU of Massachusetts and Bridgewater State University together released a model policy for racially just policing on college campuses. To date, several institutions have already pledged to review their policies in light of our recommendations.

After a sustained campaign alongside other immigration advocates, including our local partners and the national ACLU, the Biden administration ended its ICE contract with the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office. The decision came after revelations of egregious civil rights violations perpetrated by Bristol authorities.

We also continued our “What a Difference a DA Makes” voter education campaign, shedding light on the power of district attorneys with community convenings in every county.

In the State House

In the aftermath of historic police reform legislation, the ACLU participated in nine legislative commissions designed to consider further statewide police accountability efforts—including commissions related to qualified immunity, body cameras, and face surveillance.

Building on over two years of success in our campaign against face surveillance, we advocated for a new bill that will strengthen regulations on this dangerous, dystopian technology.

We also pushed for new laws like the VOTES Act, which would permanently establish several of the best ballot access measures implemented during the pandemic, like widespread mail-in voting and jail-based voting reforms.

We also campaigned for bills that would curb the criminalization of poverty by eliminating debt-based license suspensions, and ensure that all eligible drivers can access licenses, regardless of immigration status.

In the Courts

In the past year, we’ve seen the continuing legacy of the ACLU’s work on Massachusetts’ drug lab scandals. In July, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office moved to vacate additional drug convictions potentially impacted by government misconduct. Together with legal partners, the ACLU’s litigation ultimately secured the dismissal of over 61,000 charges across 35,000 cases.

In April, we filed a lawsuit against the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office to seek a full investigation into years of violence and misconduct by the Springfield Police Department, and to ensure that evidence of that misconduct is properly disclosed to criminal defendants.

In December, we won a landmark ruling in the First Circuit Court of Appeals, affirming that immigrants are entitled to fair bond hearings when detained by the federal government. This ACLU victory ended a practice that violated the constitutional rights of detainees in New England for 20 years.