Testimony in Support of Hawai’i HB 1870 HD 1 – Relating to Protected Community Locations
CLASP submitted this testimony on HB 1870 HD 1, Relating to Protected Community Locations, on February 13, 2026 to the Hawai’i House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs. In the testimony, CLASP supports the bill, which would establish statewide standards limiting state and county participation in civil immigration enforcement in or near protected community locations. The testimony outlines the impact of heightened immigration enforcement on children and families, including effects on school attendance, early care and education, access to health care, and child mental health. If enacted, HB 1870 HD 1 could help protect children in immigrant families, including the more than 1 in 4 children in Hawai’i who live with at least one immigrant parent, and mitigate the harms associated with immigration enforcement.