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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

MA: Immigration

New immigrants arriving in Massachusetts can expect to earn a median wage of about $24,000 per year, according to a report by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center. (Adobe Stock)
Report: New immigrants adding to MA economy, workforce

A surge of new immigrants in Massachusetts is currently straining the state's emergency shelter system and budget but a new report found they will bri…

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Because of increased revenues in the recently passed state budget, many public school districts across Massachusetts will see the minimum aid per student double from $30 to $60. (Adobe Stock)
MA Lawmakers Approve Tuition Equity for Undocumented Students

Students won big in the recently approved Massachusetts state budget. Lawmakers approved an additional $150 million in financial aid for students …

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The costs of employing a dental therapist are about a third to a half that of a dentist, making hiring them an affordable way to treat more low-income and uninsured patients, according to the National Partnership for Dental Therapy. (Adobe Stock)
Dental Therapy Movement in MA Aims to Address Health Equity

More than 300,000 people in Massachusetts lack access to proper dental care, and health advocates said increasing the number of licensed dental …

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Researchers say access to driver's licenses helps ensure the health of immigrants and other communities. California, for example, saw an 18% increase in registered organ donors the year it started licensing drivers without status. (Adobe Stock)
Undocumented Immigrants in MA Allowed License to Drive

Undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts are now able to apply for a driver's license regardless of their immigration status. The Work and Family …

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Research shows children who live in households that receive the Earned Income Tax Credit have better school performance, greater college enrollment and increased work and income in adulthood. (Adobe Stock)
Advocates Push for 'Tax Fairness' with Expanded Child Tax Credits

As Massachusetts lawmakers work to finalize tax-relief measures, advocates for low-income families are calling for an expansion of tax credits proven …

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Roughly 30,000 individuals across the Commonwealth access the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, resulting in $60 million in tax credits for taxpayers each year. (Adobe Stock)
Bill to Expand Tax Credits Draws on Children's Health Data

A bill to increase tax credits in the Commonwealth is backed up by research showing the credits lead to better nutrition for working families and bett…

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Nearly 24% of households in Massachusetts reported speaking something other than English at home as their primary shared language, which is higher than the national average of nearly 22%. (Adobe Stock)
MA Legislation Aims to Improve Language Access for All

Lawmakers and immigrants-rights activists in the Commonwealth are hoping to pass the Language Access and Inclusion Act, which would dramatically …

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Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., supports the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, which would apply to any airport receiving any of the $11 billion in airport funding each year, including $3.2 billion in Airport Improvement Program grants, $3.5 billion airports receive from passenger facility charges, and $4 billion in funds under the bipartisan infrastructure law. (32BJ SEIU)
Sen. Markey Rallies with Unions, Airport Workers in D.C.

Airport service workers rallied in Washington, D.C., Thursday to demand Congress pass legislation ensuring they receive a livable wage with stronger …

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Supporters of Question 4 say granting licenses to drivers without legal status in the United States would reduce unnecessary arrests and reduce the time police spent when an immigrant without status gets pulled over. (Adobe Photo)
MA Advocates Laud Increased Resources for Non-English Speakers

On the heels of the midterm election, and passage of Question 4, which upheld a law allowing immigrants without legal status in the U.S. to receive …

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According to a 2021 report, about 80% of residents in the mostly immigrant-populated city of Chelsea were deemed essential workers, meaning they had to continue working during the less knowledgeable early days of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)
New Internship Program Focused on Immigrant Health

A new internship program is looking to investigate health disparities among Massachusetts' immigrant population. The Immigrant Scholar Internship …

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Massachusetts residents stood in solidarity with Ukraine last Friday at the State House. (Emma Friedlander)
MA Groups Call for Protections from Deportation for Ukrainian Residents

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition is among the groups urging the U.S. to take in as many Ukrainian refugees as possible…

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Massachusetts officials expect roughly 1,000 Afghan refugees will be resettled in the Commonwealth. (jinnifer douglass/Adobe Stock)
A Call for Transparency in Resettlement of Afghan Refugees

BOSTON -- Advocates for human rights and civil rights in Massachusetts are urging more transparency and clear information on plans to resettle Afghan …

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