BOSTON — While locals struggle with rising costs and long waitlists, illegal immigrants in Boston are quietly getting taxpayer-funded support — including free legal aid, health care, and community grants — under Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration.

The Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement runs programs offering legal help to people living in Boston illegally, often through city-funded nonprofits.

Legal Help — No Papers Needed

City Hall funds legal aid clinics through groups like Greater Boston Legal Services, which assist people facing deportation and offer help with TPS, asylum, and DACA.

Boston also hands out $200,000 a year in “mini-grants” — up to $20,000 per group — to nonprofits offering immigration workshops and legal education, often open to people here illegally.

On top of that, the city recently relaunched its Weaving Well-Being grant program, awarding $5,000–$20,000 to groups serving immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Funded projects include trauma recovery, legal support, and “healing justice” services — many of which do not ask immigration status.

Health Care — No ID, No Problem

Boston’s public health system — including city-backed clinics like Whittier Street Health Center — provides care regardless of immigration status. Services include:

• Vaccinations
• Addiction and mental health treatment
• Reproductive and primary care

All of it backed by public money.

Public Schools & Extra Help

Boston Public Schools enroll all students, regardless of legal status, and offer extra support for immigrant families:

• ESL classes
• DACA guidance
• College prep programs

The Numbers

Nearly 28% of Boston residents are foreign-born — one of the highest rates in the country. And state estimates put the number of illegal immigrants in Massachusetts at more than 200,000, many of them in the Boston area.

Wu Couldn’t Name the Price

At a 2025 House Oversight Committee hearing, Mayor Wu was asked how much Boston spends on services for illegal immigrants. She admitted she doesn't have that information because Boston doesn't ask about immigration status.

Despite touting Boston as a national model for immigration support, Wu couldn’t give Congress a dollar amount.

Bottom Line

In Boston, being here illegally doesn’t just mean you’re protected — it means you’re eligible. Legal aid. Health care. Community grants. And no one at City Hall is tracking what it costs.

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