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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Mass. nonprofit rolls back citizenship services amid DHS funding freeze
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Red Sox spring training begins today, but the weather is screaming winter. While New England is mostly missing out on the mid-Atlantic’s big snowfall right now, another round of everyone’s favorite — wintry mix — hits us tonight, and may make for a messy commute and, possibly, school delays tomorrow.
Get more of the local forecast details here. Now, to the news:
Help on hold: A local program that helps immigrants in Massachusetts apply for citizenship is winding down, due to a Trump administration funding freeze. As WBUR’s Amy Sokolow reports, the Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) suddenly learned last week that $300,000 in federal funding for the program had been put on hold. As a result, the organization had to immediately begin reducing services. “ We had to alert our ESOL instructors over at St. Mark’s and then they had to really consider shutting down the classes that were actually supposed to start [Monday],” said Stephanie Rosario Rodriguez, the senior director of programs at MIRA.
- What does MIRA’s citizenship services do? Through clinics and one-on-one classes, they offer free assistance to immigrants with the “complex and expensive” citizenship application process — everything from help with various forms to citizenship interview prep. According to Rodriguez, the $300,000 they got last year — which was supposed to run through September 2026 — was the program’s biggest funding source.
- Why was the money frozen? Rodriguez said they got a “brief email” last week from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services saying the grant was “ immediately and indefinitely” frozen. That came after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a blanket freeze on all grants to nonprofits in late January. USCIS did not respond to a request for comment.
- Now what? Rodriguez says there’s been a lot of recent urgency among local immigrants to finish the naturalization process and “solidify their citizenship.” But with the reduction in services, she expects longer waits and more people forced to use paid services. “A lot of people are going to be left scrambling and and wondering who can help them,” she added.
- PSA: MIRA has a list of Massachusetts providers that offer citizenship assistance on their website.
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Case dismissed: Massachusetts’ updated right-to-repair law is here to stay — to some carmakers’ dismay. A federal judge in Boston dismissed the final challenge yesterday to the voter-approved 2020 law. (Remember when we all had to learn about telematics?)
- Now what? The law says automakers must give vehicle owners and independent repair shops access to telematic repair data for all cars that are 2022 models or newer. Advocates say it’s a timely win, as many 2022 models are coming out of their warranties.
- However, auto groups continue to argue the requirements present security risks. In a statement Tuesday, they said “certain vehicles may no longer be offered for sale in Massachusetts.” (Other carmakers have opted to sell their latest model without certain wireless technology.) They’re weighing whether to appeal.
On Beacon Hill: The Massachusetts state Senate is slated to vote on a bill today to fund the state’s emergency shelter system through the end of June — and make some changes aimed at curbing the program’s soaring costs. WBUR’s Walter Wuthmann reports the $425 million bill mostly mirrors what the House passed last week.
- The details: Like the House’s bill, the Senate proposal would significantly tighten the system’s eligibility rules, shorten the maximum length of time people can stay in shelters from nine months to six and cap the system at 4,000 families. The only difference is that the Senate’s bill also calls for more data reporting from state officials on the people in the system.
Meanwhile in Fort Myers: Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow says he believes this year’s team is “capable of making the playoffs” for the first time since 2021. But he isn’t ruling out making any late additions to the roster — cough, Alex Bregman, cough. “We’re still pursuing a right-handed bat, and we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to accomplish that,” Breslow told reporters yesterday.
- In other sports news: The New England Revolution announced a new homegrown signing yesterday: Gillette. The Boston-based company’s name will be on the front of the Revs’ jerseys this season, replacing United Healthcare, which had been the team’s shirt sponsor since 2011. Take a peek at the new jerseys here.
P.S.— Today is your last full day to send Winston flowers in time for Valentine’s Day — and support WBUR. We need your order by noon tomorrow for delivery on Friday. Check out your rose options here!
