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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

Back to School: What Immigrant Families Should Know

Blog MIRA Coalition Blog

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

MIRA MASSACHUSETTS IMMIGRANT & REFUGEE ADVOCACY COALITION

Black boys deserve to grow old: In memory of Pierre Damas Bel written by MIRA’s Communications Specialist, Farah Jeune

Blog MIRA Coalition Blog

How Trump’s immigration policies are impacting the mental health of our immigrant community members #NationalSuicidePreventionMonth Written by MIRA’s Communications Specialist, Farah Jeune Last Monday, August 31st  Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year old student from Haiti, committed suicide by walking into traffic on an interstate highway in Springfield, Ohio. Pierre previously had Temporary Protected Status (TPS) … Continued

Back To School Season Is Here – A Message from MIRA Coalition’s Access & Resource Specialist Catherine Ramirez Mejia, MPP

Blog MIRA Coalition Blog

  My youngest sister is returning to school this week to begin her senior year. It feels like yesterday she was beginning kindergarten. There’s a trend where seniors wear a backpack with the cartoon character from their childhood. She was trying to decide between a My Little Pony, Dora the Explorer, or Power Rangers backpack, … Continued

make a plan Vote for a better future

Make a Plan to Vote in the Massachusetts Primary Election

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Voting is one of the most important ways we can make our voices heard and help shape the future of our communities. While presidential and other federal elections often receive the most attention, the decisions that affect our everyday lives are made at every level of government. Local and state leaders make decisions about our … Continued

TPS Expiration: MIRA Stands with the Haitian and Syrian Communities Legal and Mental Health Resources

TPS Expiration: MIRA Stands with the Haitian and Syrian Communities – Legal and Mental Health Resources

MIRA Coalition Blog

“The expiration of Temporary Protected Status for roughly 350,000 Haitians and thousands of Syrians living in the United States, a country many call home, is inhumane and immoral. MIRA’s position has not changed. Forcing people back to conditions of extreme danger and violence will rip families and communities apart, and we recognize the harm this … Continued

Celebrating three years of the Immigrant Assistance Services Program (IAS)

Blog MIRA Coalition Blog

MIRA has operated the Immigrant Assistance Services (IAS) Program since being awarded the contract in May 2023, serving families in Massachusetts Emergency Assistance (EA) shelters and temporary respite centers with immigration legal orientation, legal screeners, and pro se legal assistance. Over the course of three years, the IAS team adapted to the changing immigrant landscape … Continued

Justice for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo & Johan Sebastian Guerrero

Blog MIRA Coalition Blog

  Dear community, The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, our members, and our partners are grieving yet again. We are horrified that our own government has needlessly taken lives. On July 7, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas. Then, less than a week later, ICE … Continued

Haitina history in Massachusetts, and the impact of the Supreme Court's decision to end TPS

Haitian History in Massachusetts, and the Supreme Court’s Decision to End TPS: A Home for Generations, Now Under Threat

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Haitian immigrants have been an important part of Massachusetts culture and community for more than 65 years. The first wave arrived in the late 1950s and 1960s, professionals and intellectuals fleeing repression under the Duvalier dictatorship. A larger wave followed after 1980, and the community has grown steadily ever since, first centered around St. Leo … Continued