Page 2 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 21, 2026 UMass Amherst announces spring 2026 Dean’s List T he following students were named to the spring 2026 Dean’s List at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students are appointed to the Dean’s List at the end of a semester in which they have completed a minimum of 12 graded credits and have earned a grade point average of 3.500 or better. From Malden: Ayoola Adeleke, Yeqi Bai, Ashley Shaniza Benfield, Reda Benhafoun, Xienna Yanise Bonilla, Natalia Ubaque Caballero, Peyton Avery Carron, Daisy Elizabeth Castillo, Chloe Xin Chen, Jiaxing Chen, Natalie Ying Chen, Sophia Chen, Tiffany Hao Yun Chin, Isabella Lina Chu, Ryan Richard Coggswell, Zahirr Jimmy Debel, Wenjiayi Ding, Ethan Dong, Nicholas Andrew Duggan, Debbie Edmond, Laisha Escalante Erazo, Bill Fang, Bridget Helen Gately, Dina Genene, Vanshika Ghai, Sophea Giech, Matthew Sung-Jo Harris, Wilson Jiang, Gabriela Krupka, Tarik Kurtagic, Tina Lao, Johnson Lau, Chelsea Law, Abigail Pham Lee, Kyle Pham Lee, Ethan Li, Kevin Lin, Sophia Z Lin, Xenia Liu, Victoria Ashley Loreus, Thalia Marie Louigene, Zion Esknder Maffe, Jessica Juliane Novoa Martinez, Yohanes Kebebew Megerssa, Darriel Alexis Mendoza, Marc Elie Naceus, Breana Immaculate Kasozi Nansamba, Fru Nche, Daniel Khai Nguyen, Joslyn Quynh Nguyen, Matthew Quang Nguyen, Nathan Nguyen, Vu Thuy Kha Nguyen, Sammi Nie, Angelica Josephine Nocera, Ryan O’Connell, Rayan Said Oukani, Dhyey Ghanshyam Patel, Tracy Thanh Pham, Henry Alexander Rodriguez, Leslie Alexandra Rodriguez, Alaeddine Ben Salem, Jackeline Susana Salvador, Felipe Rodrigues Sathler, Asmae Warda Sekhri, Preston August Shearer, Jennifer Nguyen Slawson, Emma Rose Spignese-Smolinsky, Nari Siyah Steele, Joanne M. Tang, Vincent Thai, Aimy Hoang Tran, Kristen Vu, Christine Wang, Elise Y. Wong, Jennifer Wong, Stephanie H. Wong, Sze Nga Wong, Jingpei Wu, Stanley Yang, Xhenisa Zajmi, Gordon Zeng, Henry Zhao, Jasmine Zhao, Xiaolin Zhou. Rep. Lipper-Garabedian defends ICE contract, says “immigrant communities want it” Special to The Advocate U nder pressure weeks after she voted for a carve out to maintain the state’s contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian, a candidate for state senator, defended Massachusetts’ 287(g) agreement at a recent candidates forum. She insisted that immigrants and Black and Brown leaders want the state to boost the federal government’s immigration efforts. “It was described to us how immigrant communities wanted us to retain the contract with ICE,” claimed Rep. Lipper-Garabedian. “We heard from immigrants stating that they wanted it to remain.” Malden Councillor-at-Large Carey McDonald — also a candidate for state senator — pushed back on that claim. “I’m a Person of Color who represents an immigrant community. I have never heard any immigrant say they would prefer the state have a contract with ICE. I’ve never heard that.” “We need to end the state’s contract with ICE. [The fact that] Massachusetts is the only blue state with an ICE contract boggles my mind…I have supported our immigrant community behind the scenes and in public. It’s important our immigrant leaders know Candidate Carey McDonald Malden Councillor-at-Large who they can call; that’s the relationship I’ve built as a City Councillor and that I would continue as a State Senator.” McDonald, who is a nonprofit executive, has sued the Trump Administration over ICE activity and volunteers with immigrant-led organizations. McDonald spoke about witnessing deportations and the resulting devastation for families left behind. “There is no one who will fight harder to make sure that we are doing every single thing we can to protect our people.” At issue is a voluntary information-sharing and collaboration contract — known as a 287(g) agreement. Massachusetts’ agreement has been in place since 2009 and has been used to deport thousands of Bay State residents. Under a 287(g) agreement, “state and local law enforcement agenKate Lipper-Garabedian State Representative cies and ICE work together to deport removable aliens,” according to ice.gov. Massachusetts is the only Democratically run state in the country that continues to have a contract with ICE — using state resources for immigration enforcement. While the state recently changed the law to prohibit any new 287(g) agreements, the current contract was left in place. Responses to the Trump Administration are not the only difference between the candidates. McDonald has called for the legislature to implement the audit supported by 72% of voters on the 2024 ballot; Lipper-Garabedian has voted to limit the audit to only records that the Legislature chooses to hand over. Affordability has proven to be another hot topic, with Lipper-Garabedian defending a vote to cut $1 billion from Mass Save, the energy efficiency program that helps residents reduce their energy costs. McDonald led the creation of a local energy program that lowered electricity rates and increased clean energy at the same time. The forum was held for the candidates running for the 5th Middlesex Senate District, which consists of Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and part of Winchester. The seat is open due to the retirement of State Senator Jason Lewis. The forum was hosted by the Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition, the Chinese Progressive Association, Massachusetts Senior Action Network, Asian Community Development Corporation and Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network. The Democratic primary election is on September 1, with mailin voting underway in all communities.
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