Skip to content

Author: miraadmin

Featured Author: miraadmin

Community Readiness in the Face of ICE Arrests

President Trump campaigned on a threat to deport one million immigrants from this country per year.  We saw an ongoing escalation of the numbers of immigrants targeted in Massachusetts throughout 2025 and continuing into early this year, but still well below deporting one million people.  However, this is beginning to change. Over this past year … Continued

Back to School: What Immigrant Families Should Know

As immigration enforcement increases across the country and protections such as Temporary Protected Status end for some countries, many immigrant families are living with fear and uncertainty. That fear is affecting whether some children make it to school. Recent data show that 17% of parents cited ICE activity near schools as a barrier to attendance. And that … Continued

Language Access Budget Campaign

News

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition   Language Access Budget Campaign Next week, the Massachusetts State Senate is debating and voting on its version of the Fiscal Year 2023 State Budget!  It’s up to us to make sure the final budget includes funding for our Commonwealth’s immigrants and refugees! The state budget is a values … Continued

Weekly Message from Liz Sweet

News

As MIRA’s new Executive Director, I am launching a biweekly blog to begin to share my experiences and reflections with MIRA’s many stakeholders.  Last week, I had the opportunity to visit with MIRA member and partner Immigrant Family Services Institute, or IFSI.  IFSI serves the Haitian community in Boston and has rapidly scaled their services … Continued

Statement on the Ongoing Crisis in Ukraine

News

– Boston – Today, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition issued a statement on the crisis in Ukraine. “We are deeply distraught by the crisis unfolding in Ukraine,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition. “Since the February 24th Russian invasion, more than 650,000 civilians have fled Ukraine. Alongside this, at least 160,000 Ukrainians have … Continued

MIRA Coalition Letter to Biden Administration – Haiti

News

MIRA Coalition Letter to Biden Administration – Haiti   October 15, 2021  Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.  President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW  Washington, DC 20500  Hon. Alejandro N. Mayorkas  Secretary of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Homeland Security 1707 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE Washington, DC 20528    Dear President … Continued

MIRA Calls on Biden Administration to Support Refugees in Afghan and Haitian Humanitarian Crises

News

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) issued the following statement urging the Biden administration to take swift and decisive action to aid refugees and asylum-seekers in two developing crises that currently impact millions around the world. “Today we see two new humanitarian crises developing on opposite sides of the globe,” said … Continued

All Essential Workers Deserve a Path to Citizenship

News

Recently, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) was a proud sponsor of the New England Business Immigration Summit, which brought together members of Congress, business leaders, university presidents, and advocates to advance 21st century immigration reform in the United States. Read more at Harvard Medical School’s Center for Primary Care.

Supreme Court agrees to dismiss challenge to Trump’s public charge rule

News

The Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss a case regarding a controversial Trump-era rule that makes it more difficult for immigrants to obtain legal status if they use certain public benefits – such as food stamps, Medicaid and voucher – is being touted as a big win for immigrant rights. Read more at Herald News.