Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA) announced that the City is awarding $650,000 in grants to 13 nonprofits including the Everett Haitian Community to increase the capacity of immigrant-serving organizations to provide immigration-related legal services and support the legal needs of immigrant workers. The grants range from $10,000 to $100,000 for programs including Know Your Rights training, forms assistance, and legal consultation and representation in immigration and labor violation cases.
MOIA launched the Immigrant Workers’ Rights Grant program to support immigrant workers through Know Your Rights trainings and assist in labor rights cases and immigration cases tied to labor violations. To address gaps within the current immigration legal system, MOIA launched the Immigration Legal Access grant program for initiatives aimed at improving access to immigration legal services for Boston residents.
“Boston is a city of immigrants, and we all benefit from the contributions of immigrant communities in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Our immigration system is nearly impossible to navigate alone, so I’m grateful to MOIA and these organizations for helping our immigrant residents better access legal services and much needed supports.”
“Immigrants that experience labor abuses may be afraid to speak out or seek help due to their status,” said Monique Tú Nguyen, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement. “By expanding the capacity within the field to respond to the demand for legal services, our goal is to ensure that immigrants understand their rights and have the resources to navigate a complex legal system.”