PRESS STATEMENT • For Immediate Release • July 3, 2025
BOSTON, MA – In response to the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the Federal Reconciliation Bill, Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition issued the following statement:
“It is both terrifying and sickening to watch President Trump and Congressional leaders gleefully launch this large-scale assault on immigrant and refugee rights. Congress and the administration are shamelessly investing hundreds of billions of dollars to detain and jail, many times without due process, hard-working members of our communities, while cutting off access to invaluable anti-poverty programs. While we are deeply shaken by today’s vote in Washington, we are more committed than ever to preserving the rights of immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts and across the nation.”
The bill Congress passed today will cause immense harm to vulnerable populations across the nation, especially immigrants. Here are just some of the most dangerous anti-immigrant provisions:
- Limiting immigrant access to anti-poverty benefits such as the Child Tax Credit, as well as SNAP, the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.
- Investing over $100 billion in ICE to build more detention centers, expand inhumane enforcement practices, and construct a wasteful border wall.
- Assaulting the rights of immigrant children by allowing the government to indefinitely jail immigrant children and jail immigrant children alongside their parents.
- Forcing asylum seekers and refugees to pay new, non-waivable fees to apply for asylum status and/or secure a work permit based on Temporary Protected Status.
- Increasing military involvement in civil immigration enforcement.
Media Contact: Alex Psilakis | apsilakis@melwoodglobal.com