Massachusetts
Thousands of migrants legally fled to Mass. under a Biden-era policy. Trump’s latest directive could change everything. – The Boston Globe
Migrants who entered under two programs — the CBP One application migrants used to schedule appointments to enter the US, and a Biden administration initiative that let in certain migrants fleeing Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti — could be affected by the memo, which was signed late Thursday by the acting head of the Homeland Security Department.
A Trump spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In Massachusetts, advocates estimate that tens of thousands of people came to the state under these humanitarian provisions, which give temporary permission to stay in the United States. Many of the migrants who have made their way to the state have spent months waiting in Mexico, at migrant shelters or in rented rooms, in cities that are rife with cartel violence and kidnappings.
They do this, many have told the Globe, for an opportunity to enter the US legally, and work in the country with authorization, under the Biden era programs that looked to curb illegal border crossings and offer legal pathways for entry.
But now, some of these migrants could be under threat of being targeted for deportation, particularly if they have yet not applied for another legal status, such as asylum or Temporary Protected status, legal advocates say.
These families, Yountz said, “have followed all of the rules under the previous administration.”
“Trump has said he’s going after murderers and criminals. But in reality, his strategy is quite lazy,” Yountz said. “He’s going after people who followed the rules and are currently in legal parole status because they willingly offered their name and addresses to the federal government.”
Jeffrey Thielman, who runs the Boston resettlement agency International Institute of New England, served 16,000 people with humanitarian parole status in 2024 alone. This large class of immigrants include many families that fled desperate conditions or war in their home countries.
On Friday, he told his staff to “keep your heads down” and continue to help connect clients with federal benefits, English classes, and to coordinate apartment searches. His staff also work to enroll children in schools, sign families up for medical insurance, and prepare people for job interviews, among other things.
“It’s unethical and immoral that the United States of America allowed people into this country for humanitarian purposes and is now turning their backs on them,” he said. “It’s fundamentally wrong. This is not the way the rule of law should work.”
Humanitarian parole has been used as a legal tool for decades, allowing people admission to the country who were unable to use other pathways because of political and economic strife or their home country’s poor relations with the United States. Under the Biden administration, half a million Cubans, Haitian, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans were welcomed as part of the program, which allowed migrants to live and work lawfully for two years while they applied for longer-term status.
The move to undo the protection, which was first reported by the New York Times, is one of a flurry of actions the Trump administration has taken in recent days to follow through on his campaign promises of cracking down on immigration.
Yountz, the immigration attorney, said while there are thousands of immigrants in Massachusetts under these humanitarian provisions, most have either applied for, or received, Temporary Protected Status or asylum, which would seem to offer a layer of protection of deportation under this memo, Yountz said.
It does not mean that these residents “are going to fall into undocumented status,” Yountz said.
“This is not a wholesale revocation of parole,” Yountz said.
But those who have not applied for other kinds of status and are just here under parole appear to be particularly vulnerable.
“We are concerned. There is a vagueness to this memo, and many of Trump’s orders, that make it unclear who will, or will not be, swept up,” she said.
Regardless, Pastor Dieufort Fleurissaint, better known as Pastor Keke, a prominent advocate in Greater Boston’s Haitian American community, called this a “heart-wrenching situation.”
He has been receiving a flurry of calls since Monday, when the Trump administration released a stream of executive orders, many of them immigration-related, from concerned Haitians in Massachusetts asking how they would be affected by the new rules.
Since many were in the country legally under humanitarian provisions, Pastor Keke tried to assuage their fears, assuring them they would likely be safe. But when he saw the news of the internal memo last night, his heart sank.
“I’m very worried, because they [ICE] already know where these people are located,” he said. “This is the reality, and we have to face it.”
Already, he has heard that some migrants are avoiding their English classes, health appointments, and staying home because they’re panicked.
“That news last night will heighten the tension,” he said. “Now, even people with humanitarian provisions are not immune from deportation . . . this is a very, very critical situation.”
Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio can be reached at giulia.mcdnr@globe.com. Follow her @giuliamcdnr. Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her @samanthajgross.
Massachusetts
Thousands join Walk for Hunger in Boston: ‘Critical response to rising food insecurity’
Thousands joined Project Bread’s 58th annual Walk for Hunger on Sunday to combat what organizers called a critical and rising problem of food insecurity in Massachusetts.
“There is no reason any person in Massachusetts should not be able to put food on the table,” said Project Bread President and CEO Erin McAleer. “And yet, more people are struggling now than ever. Every one of us has a role to play in making a difference, and the Walk for Hunger is the perfect opportunity to do just that.”
The walk — representing the nation’s oldest continually running pledge walk, according to Project Bread — raised the targeted $1 million in funds to fight hunger in the state as participants made their way around the family-friendly and accessible 3-mile loop around Boston Common.
Project Bread, which organizes the fundraiser along with over 600-member Make Hunger History Coalition, noted that the walk is an “immediate opportunity” for people to take action as food insecurity rises in Massachusetts.
In Massachusetts, 40% of households are experiencing food insecurity, the organization said, and “rising food prices and potential changes to federal nutrition programs, including SNAP, threaten to deepen the challenge.” Local organizations in Greater Boston are continuing to prepare for additional strain, they added.
Project Bread joined food aid organizations and public officials to meet an “impossible task” as the government shutdown temporarily cut off SNAP benefits last November, at the same time as an estimated 3.5 million have lost SNAP benefits nationwide due to policy changes under the Trump administration last July.
The 3,500 participants Sunday represented 216 towns across Massachusetts, while additional walkers from 23 states and five countries participated virtually, organizers said. The event featured live music, food vendors, games, a cooking demonstration, and remarks from local leaders on the Common.
The funds raised support Project Bread’s “comprehensive approach to food security,” tackling areas like policy advocacy, prevention strategies and more, as well as supporting the work of 68 anti-hunger organizations who participate in the event and keep 60% of the funds they generate.
The walk highlights “how families across the Commonwealth—particularly in Black, Brown, and immigrant communities—continue to face difficult tradeoffs between food and other basic needs,” Project Bread said. At the same time, the organization called the state “uniquely positioned to lead the nation in ending hunger through coordinated policy, healthcare integration, and community-led solutions.”
“It’s a great day and more importantly, a powerful one because the strength of our community coming together can drive real change for those who need it most,” McAleer said.
Project Bread offers a toll-free Food Source Hotline at 1-800-645-8333 for those experiencing food insecurity, providing confidential assistance to connect with food resources in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired, as well as more information on projectbread.org/get-help.
A science-based, mission-driven beekeeping company dedicated to improving pollinator health, Best Bees installs and manages professionally maintained hives for homes, businesses, and institutions.
Host Rachel Holt visits with their team to learn how urban beekeeping is helping strengthen biodiversity.
Four Massachusetts companies have announced hundreds of layoffs as residents and businesses flee the state due to what critics describe as soaring energy costs, high taxes, and costly climate mandates.
According to the state’s Worker’s Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) tracker, a total of 283 Massachusetts workers are set to lose their jobs by the end of the fiscal year.
That includes 70 planned layoffs at Innovative Care Partners, which has locations in Northampton, West Springfield and Pittsfield, by June 30; 78 layoffs at Community Health Link at its Webster, Worcester and Lincoln locations, also by June 30; 83 layoffs at Compass Group USA in Boston by July 1; and 52 layoffs at Community Counseling of Bristol County at locations in Attleboro, Brockton, Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton between June 30 and July 13.
These latest notices come as several businesses have been moving out of Massachusetts over the past several months, including some that had been staples of the state’s economy.
In January, the reigning Massachusetts “Manufacturer of the Year,” Curia Global, shut down operations at its Burlington facility. Other notable departures include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Panera Bread, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Zipcar, SynQor, Analogic Corp. and more. Most recently, in April, Takeda Pharmaceuticals announced the elimination of 247 jobs from its Cambridge location.
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance told the Herald upon Curia Global’s exit that the Bay State has become an increasingly inhospitable business environment.
“The taxes here are high, the climate regulations are pretty extensive and we also have people in positions of power who don’t seem that interested in growing business here,” Executive Director Paul Craney said.
Healey denounces President Trump’s cap on student loans for health care and social workers
Gov. Maura Healey is responding to the Trump administration implementing a rule limiting access to federal student loans for graduate degrees in the nursing, physical therapy, physician assistants, occupational therapy, education and social work fields.
“At a time when people are already struggling with costs, President Trump is making higher education more expensive and harder to access. This rule is going to push students into more expensive private loans, and it blocks pathways into critical careers in the health care and education spaces,” Healey said in a written statement. “As the daughter of a school nurse, I know firsthand how important these jobs are to our communities.”
Healey spoke in opposition to this new rule back in March and continues to warn that it will increase costs and limit career opportunities. She launched a $15 million state loan repayment program for early education and care professionals along with loan repayments for health and human service workers through the MA Repay Program.
The new rule, implemented by the U.S. Department of Education, caps federal graduate student loan borrowing at $20,500 per year for the listed programs the administration deems not “professional.” The Healey-Driscoll Administration estimates that approximately 13,000 Massachusetts graduate students will be impacted.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration calls it a “common sense” regulation that will help control the ever-increasing costs for higher education.
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