A day after hundreds of people came to Beacon Hill to urge lawmakers to advance major immigrant protection legislation, a committee opened voting on the measure that would block local law enforcement officials from cooperating with federal agents. The Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security on Thursday opened a poll for House members into the redrafted PROTECT Act. The poll closes Friday afternoon, according to a memo shared by House Speaker Ron Mariano’s office. The panel on Wednesday held a hearing on the bill, which also received enthusiastic support from attendees at the annual Immigrants’ Day event hosted by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. At a press conference, committee co-chair Rep. Dan Cahill of Lynn suggested a House vote on the bill could come in the “next couple of weeks.” |