Let’s make sure our state legislature includes funding for immigrant legal defense in its final negotiated FY26 budget, which will be passed in early July!

There is no right to a government-paid lawyer in immigration court. Immigrants who cannot afford a lawyer must navigate our complex immigration system alone—a nearly impossible task. In fact, immigrants in detention are 10 times less likely to win relief from deportation if they do not have a lawyer.

And last month alone, nearly 1500 members of Massachusetts immigrant communities were detained by ICE.

In April, the Massachusetts House of Representatives adopted $5M to fund a statewide program for immigration legal services in their FY26 budget, signaling deep concern for the fate of immigrants caught up in deportation proceedings without access to legal representation.

While the Senate did not include this funding in its own budget last month, our state senators have an opportunity to advocate for its inclusion in the final FY26 budget during conference committee negotiations, which began last week.

Please urge your state Senator to advocate for this funding today!

TAKE ACTION FOR IMMIGRANT JUSTICE TODAY!