NORTHAMPTON, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — Massachusetts is now one of 18 states suing President Donald Trump’s administration over his plan to end birthright citizenship, which is when someone born on U.S. soil is considered an American citizen, even if their parents aren’t.

Birthright citizenship was part of an executive order that focused on immigration. As part of the order, the president also intends to send troops to the United States-Mexico border, end asylum access, and suspend the refugee program. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued a statement and said: “President Trump thinks he can ignore the constitution and deny birthright citizenship from thousands of innocent children. It’s a cruel, egregious overstep of his authority. We’re suing to stop this unlawful plan in its tracks.”

Rev. Eric Cherry, interim minister of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, told Western Mass News these executive orders go against the history of his church. Despite these new orders, Cherry said his congregation will continue to uphold their moral values of treating those seeking asylum as neighbors. “Our religious tradition believes that people who are born in the United States are entitled to be citizens that was an important change that followed the abolition of slavery,” he said. “We will be a part of the wide diverse group of people who resist efforts to change that amendment to the constitution.”

Cherry is referencing the 14th Amendment. He also told us his church provided sanctuary to immigrants in the past. When asked what steps the church is willing to take going forward to protect immigrants under the new administration, Cherry said that’s contingent upon what happens in the days ahead. “Much will depend upon the shape of the unjust actions the federal government takes. We’re glad to know the leaders in the state and city are not going to support illegal and unjust efforts and we will find our ways to support our neighbors as well,” he explained.

Cherry told us his congregation will take tackle the issues that come from these executive orders one day at a time.

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BOSTON – Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday that the state has agreed to repay the federal government $2.1 billion because of a mistake made years ago with pandemic-era unemployment benefits. 

An audit revealed “an improper overdraw of federal pandemic unemployment benefits,” a statement from the governor’s office said. Healey said that former Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration “misspent billions of dollars in federal relief funds” on unemployment payouts that were supposed to be covered by the state.

Massachusetts to pay back money over 10 years

Healey said her administration has negotiated with the U.S. Labor Department for the past year and a half to reduce the state’s tab that could’ve been more than $3 billion with penalties and interest. Starting in December, Massachusetts will pay the money back over a 10-year period. Anyone who received jobless benefits during that time will not be impacted, Healey’s office said.

“It is incredibly frustrating that the prior administration allowed this to happen, but we are going to use this as a moment to come together with the business and labor community to make meaningful reforms to the Unemployment Insurance system,” the governor said in a statement.

The agreement was finalized with former President Joe Biden’s administration, just before President Donald Trump took office. 

“Monumental error”

The National Federation of Independent Business said that small businesses in the state are already being “crushed” by unemployment insurance taxes.

“It is incomprehensible that the state made a monumental error, and it’s Massachusetts small employers that are required to today foot the $2.1 billion bill,” Christopher Carlozzi, the group’s Massachusetts state director, said in a statement.

Healey said businesses won’t see a hike on unemployment insurance rates through at least 2026. Whether they go up in the future depends on what the state does to reform the unemployment insurance system, she said.

The system is expected to be giving out more money than it takes in by 2028.

“We know Massachusetts’ unemployment insurance requires reform, especially as we focus on the long-term solvency of the UI trust fund,” Labor and workforce development Sec. Lauren Jones said in a statement. “Our administration is committed to working with all partners to propose and implement policy and system improvements that support employers and impacted workers.”