In response to the recent surge of immigrants to Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office is now accepting applications for a $750,000 grant programme to fund non-profit legal services organisations that focus on providing immigration-related legal advice.
Under the grant programme, legal services organisations can receive up to $100,000 for one year to provide a variety of resources, according to Mass.gov. The program hopes to promote self-sufficiency and integration while reducing the burden on immigration shelters, emergency services, and local communities struggling to support the large influx of migrants.
By expanding and improving relationships with law firms, clinics, shelters and other service providers, and equipping staff with mobile workspace resources, the programme aims to address the current backlog of migrants waiting for help. Applications must be submitted by 10 October and funding for recipients is expected to begin on 13 November.
The grant programme is a wonderful opportunity for community organisers to obtain funding for legal services, said Sarah Bartley, vice president of Safe and Stable Housing at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, an organisation that raises money for housing, legal and childcare services.
“There is an increased demand for services, and many nonprofits absolutely rely on philanthropic and other public funding to serve the community,” Bartley said.
The grant programme comes a year after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent a flight of Venezuelan immigrants from San Antonio, Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. That action attracted international attention and the disapproval of many federal officials.
After the migrants were sent to Martha’s Vineyard, almost a year later, in August, Governor Maura Healey declared a state of emergency due to the sharp increase in migrant arrivals.
Healey called on the federal government to update and expedite the work permit process and to provide funding for shelters and other immigrant support services. She also called on charities, advocacy groups and “anyone who can offer assistance” to help with the influx of migrants and refugees.
In August, there were 5,600 families, or about 20,000 individuals, seeking asylum in Massachusetts. Now there are nearly 6,500 families, according to a Mass.gov press release.
Bartley said one of the biggest issues facing the United Way of Massachusetts Bay is trying to find housing for migrants, as there is a shortage of about 200,000 housing units.
“We definitely have one of the most expensive housing markets in the country and in Greater Boston,” she said. “We need cooperation and coordination between local, state and federal [governments] to produce the kind of housing that is affordable to families across the income spectrum.”
Monique Kornfeld, an immigration lawyer, says that while it is good that states are trying to ease the migrant problem, immigration is too big for states to handle on their own.
“This is a federal problem. The states are trying to do what they can, but it’s too overwhelming,” Kornfeld said. “We don’t have enough resources and staff to deal with this growing immigrant population.”
Kornfeld also said the immigration system itself is broken because processes like work permits, court dates and any legal immigration relief take months or even years to initiate and complete.
Bartley said that because there are so many challenges within the legal system that migrants face, a programme that provides legal aid is a welcome opportunity for organisations to meet the needs of migrants.
“There are increasingly complex challenges that families face … and also just a whole range of legal support that is needed,” Bartley said. “We were really excited to hear that the [Attorney General’s] office can provide funding for that.”
