Massachusetts Senator Hedlund Displays His Racism

Immigrant-rights advocates protest Hedlund's housing amendment

By Christopher Burrell

The Patriot Ledger

Posted Jul 30, 2013

Immigrant-rights advocates are lashing out at a Weymouth Republican’s housing bill amendment because they say it would hurt immigrants who are victims of domestic violence or survivors of the Haiti earthquake.

More than 20 protesters rallied Monday morning in front of the State House, urging defeat of an amendment proposed by state Sen. Robert Hedlund of Weymouth.

Hedlund’s amendment to a $1.4 billion housing bond bill would force state public housing requirements to align with federal standards, barring some categories of immigrants from receiving housing benefits.

Shannon Erwin, state policy director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, took aim at Hedlund’s amendment, saying it would disqualify immigrants who are victims of domestic violence or serious crimes, or are under temporary protective status from housing benefits because they are refugees of the Haitian earthquake, civil war in El Salvador or the war in Sudan

“Housing is such a fundamental right, and we are really concerned,” said Erwin.

But Hedlund disputed immigration advocates’ objections to his Senate amendment, titled “Public Housing Assistance Priority for Legal Residence.”

“I don’t believe that MIRA’s interpretation is accurate,” Hedlund told the State House News Service on Monday, disputing that the amendment would ban Haitian earthquake survivors from state-funded public housing.

“Right now we have 100,000 people around the state that are on waiting lists (for housing),” Hedlund said. He criticized policies that he said allow violators of immigration law to receive public housing ahead of longtime residents of a community.

The vice president of a local health care workers union with about 4,000 Haitians among its 45,000 members also protested Monday on Beacon Hill.

“We have a large number living in Randolph and Brockton,” Herbert Jean Baptiste, vice president of SEIU 1199, told The Patriot Ledger on Monday night. “Some of those people are making eight or nine bucks an hour, and they would not be able to afford rent (for market rate apartments.)
Baptiste called Hedlund’s amendment divisive, saying it would separate out certain groups of immigrants such as Haitians and Salvadorans.

The Senate did not debate the amendment last week but was scheduled to meet in formal session today.

Last week, Hedlund temporarily blocked passage of a bill that would have stopped an affordable housing project in Norwood, calling it unfair to single out one project.

But Hedlund told State House News Service that he’s not optimistic his attempts to reform state affordable housing laws or tighten access to state public housing will succeed.


http://www.patriotledger.com/news/x1815315711/Immigrant-rights-advocates-protest-Hedlunds-housing-amendment