Special to the Independent
Representative Judith Garcia (D-Chelsea) delivered her inaugural speech on the floor of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in support of the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget, with a special emphasis on the creation of a statewide $5 million immigration legal assistance fund for non-violent offenders. This provision, included in the House’s proposed budget, will be distributed by the Office for Refugees and Immigrants to designated nonprofit organizations to expand access to legal representation for immigrants and refugees across the Commonwealth.
Representative Garcia underscored the importance of this much needed fund for a fairer and more efficient legal system. “Immigrants make up more than 18% of Massachusetts’ population and drive over $100 billion in economic activity in Greater Boston alone,” said Garcia. “They are not just participants in our local economy—they are its backbone: launching small businesses, staffing hospitals, building homes, caring for our loved ones. Even those without legal status paid nearly $650 million in taxes in 2022.”Garcia highlighted the urgent need to ensure that people who contribute to the Commonwealth every day are given the dignity of due process. She referenced her own mother’s decades of work in Chelsea’s Kayem Foods factory, as well as the stories of highly skilled immigrant professionals contributing to the state’s leadership in healthcare and medical research, who still face uncertainty due to immigration status.
“This is the complexity of our immigration system. It’s not black and white. It’s deeply nuanced and, too often, unforgiving,” she said. “And while the challenges are vast, one thing is clear: access to legal representation should not be determined by your paycheck or your profession.”
Representative Garcia concluded by thanking Speaker Ron Mariano, Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz, and Leader Frank Moran for their bold leadership in supporting the immigration legal assistance fund.
The budget passed the House of Representatives 151-6 and now goes to the Senate for consideration.