Massachusetts Launches $5 Million Legal Aid Program for Immigrants in Removal Proceedings
Massachusetts has implemented a new $5 million legal aid initiative, the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI), to provide free legal representation to immigrants facing deportation. Launched in late 2025 and managed by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), the program responds to increased federal detention and deportation efforts that affected thousands of state residents. Unlike criminal cases, immigration proceedings are civil matters where defendants do not have a right to government-funded counsel, making legal representation difficult to secure. The program currently supports 24 attorneys, including those at firms like Massa Viana Law, who handle high caseloads of clients in removal proceedings. State officials, including Governor Maura Healey, propose maintaining the $5 million funding for fiscal 2027, while Senate President Karen Spilka advocates for increasing the budget to $6 million. MIRA aims to expand the allocation to $15 million in the following year to meet growing demand. This initiative highlights state-level efforts to protect immigrant rights amidst stringent federal immigration enforcement policies.
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Massachusetts Launches $5 Million Legal Aid Program for Immigrants in Removal Proceedings
Massachusetts has implemented a new $5 million legal aid initiative, the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI), to provide free legal representation to immigrants facing deportation. Launched in late 2025 and managed by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), the program responds to increased federal detention and deportation efforts that affected thousands of state residents. Unlike criminal cases, immigration proceedings are civil matters where defendants do not have a right to government-funded counsel, making legal representation difficult to secure. The program currently supports 24 attorneys, including those at firms like Massa Viana Law, who handle high caseloads of clients in removal proceedings. State officials, including Governor Maura Healey, propose maintaining the $5 million funding for fiscal 2027, while Senate President Karen Spilka advocates for increasing the budget to $6 million. MIRA aims to expand the allocation to $15 million in the following year to meet growing demand. This initiative highlights state-level efforts to protect immigrant rights amidst stringent federal immigration enforcement policies.
AP News