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What Happens Now? 2026 Midterm Election Results

This week’s midterm election was in many ways a repudiation of the Trump Administration’s violent, racist approach to immigration. Exit polls show that voters both in Massachusetts and across the nation ranked immigration as the third most important issue for them after the economy and the state of our democracy. But while Democrats are poised … Continued

Massachusetts 2026 Ballot Initiatives

Understanding the Midterm Ballot Initiatives for the 2026 Massachusetts General Election With the election this Tuesday, November 3rd, many Massachusetts voters have already decided on who they will vote for to fill legislative and executive seats across our government. However, elections also frequently provide an opportunity for the voting public to express their views directly … Continued

Advancing Policy Solutions for Immigrant Mental Health

Immigrant and refugee families in Massachusetts are carrying an enormous weight. Increased enforcement, the loss of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many families, including many with children who are U.S. citizens, and constant federal policy shifts are taking a real toll on mental health. Meanwhile, people seeking help face long wait times, language gaps, insurance … Continued

Federal Policy Update: FY2025 Budget and Parole In Place

FY 2025 Federal Budget With the federal fiscal year ending September 30, House leadership is struggling to put together an acceptable funding package in time to avoid a government shutdown. Speaker Johnson had been pushing a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government at current levels for the next 6 months, but wanted to include … Continued

Conquering With Love – Community Response in Springfield OH

It has been a rough couple of weeks for immigrant communities around the country. Baseless accusations of criminality among immigrant populations has led to unbearable harassment and actual criminality from anti-immigrant forces, with Haitian communities facing horrific vitriol and abuse. But while much of the nation’s attention has been focused on the racist attacks against … Continued

Presidential Debate Recap and Federal Policy Updates

While immigration, and the lives of thousands of families, has proven to be a polarizing issue in the upcoming election, this Tuesday’s presidential debate showed that the national conversation lacks any serious discussion about either facts or policy solutions. The stage was set before the debate when Senator and Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance spread … Continued

Update on the Massachusetts Shelter Crisis: Families Left Without Shelter Sleep Outside Wollaston MBTA Station

The recent changes to the Massachusetts Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter system have directly led to a worsening crisis, exemplified by 50 Haitian immigrants, including children and infants, sleeping outside the Wollaston MBTA station in Quincy. These changes, introduced by the Healey Administration at the beginning of August, have drastically limited access to state shelters, forcing … Continued

Federal Update: Parole In Place

On Monday, the Biden Administration began accepting applications for the new Parole in Place program that would reduce barriers to a green card for 500,000 people across the country (see MIRA’s Fact Sheet). While the new “Parole in Place” program does not create a new pathway to US citizenship (only Congress can do that), it … Continued

State Policy Updates – formal legislative session ends with PPA in limbo, state budget delivers on policy, but restrained on funding

Formal legislative session ends with PPA in limbo The formal legislative session ended last week without House and Senate negotiators reaching agreement on a number of major pending bills – including the economic development bond bill (the Mass Leads Act) that contained Physician Pathway Act legislation, a MIRA priority that enjoyed remarkable progress and support … Continued

“Never Say Never” – A Refugee Story by Ruth Koha James

My name is Ruth Koha James, and I am the Membership Coordinator at MIRA Coalition. I have been working at MIRA Coalition for exactly 4 months and 1 day. Before joining as an employee, I volunteered with MIRA’s Citizenship Clinics, where I assisted applicants in filling out their N-400 applications for naturalization. During my interview … Continued