On May 5th, the Massachusetts Senate released its proposed FY27 annual budget for debate and passage later this month. Right now, state senators have made their budget priorities known to Senate leadership.
Ask your state senators to vote in favor of MIRA’s FY27 Senate Budget Amendments that help protect immigrants against deportation:
- Amendment # 895- Funds $8 million for Immigrant Legal Defense. This amendment funds the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI), a new state program that provides free legal defense for Massachusetts immigrants facing deportation who cannot afford an attorney (Filed by Senator Adam Gomez).
- Amendments # 399 & 905- Both amendments fund $2 million for the Citizenship for New Americans Program (CNAP). US Citizenship is the strongest protection against deportation, yet state support for citizenship programs has decreased since 2022. $2 million will restore the capacity of community-based providers across the state to provide citizenship application assistance to eligible immigrants who cannot afford a private attorney (Filed by Senators Bruce Tarr & Vanna Howard, respectively).
Please contact your state senator today and urge them to support Amendments #895, #399, and #905.