Boston City Council Hearing on TPS for Haitian Immigrants and City Preparedness - April 9, 2026
Boston City Council Committee Hearing on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian Immigrants and City Preparedness - April 9, 2026
On April 9, 2026, the Boston City Council Committee on Civil Rights, Racial Equity, and Immigrant Advancement, chaired by Councilor Minor Culpepper (District 7), held a hearing on Docket No. 0299 to confront the determination of federal protective status for Haitian immigrants and examine the City of Boston's response. The hearing was co-sponsored by Councilors Julia Mejia and Ruthine Lugeon (lead co-sponsor). Councilors Ed Flynn, Murphy, Durkin, Peppen, Weber, and Santana also participated. The meeting focused on the potential termination of TPS for Haitians, affecting 3,700 TPS holders among 55,000 Haitian immigrants in Boston. The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on April 29, 2026, with a decision expected in late June or early July.
Opening Remarks
- Councilor Lugeon thanked advocates, philanthropists (e.g., United Way, Boston Foundation), and Congresswoman Ayanna Presley for the discharge petition that reached 218 signatures. She emphasized ongoing advocacy and the need for coordinated city-state response.
- Councilor Flynn recalled the 2010 Haiti earthquake and stressed TPS as a civil rights and moral issue.
- Councilor Murphy affirmed the contributions of Haitian residents and expressed concern for their fear.
- Councilor Durkin thanked Councilor Lugeon for her leadership and noted the economic and social importance of immigrants.
First Panel: Monique Noujian, Director, Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA)
- Noujian reported that MOIA has invested $880,000 this fiscal year for legal services grants to 18 organizations. An additional $5 million in state funding exists through the Massachusetts Access to Council Initiative.
- She acknowledged that legal aid capacity is insufficient and is challenged by low pay and a chilling effect on large law firms under the current federal administration.
- The city is targeting high-need neighborhoods (Hyde Park, Dorchester, Mattapan) through community office hours at libraries and partnerships with Boston Public Schools (BPS) and immigrant information corners.
- Pathways to legal status: MOIA offers free immigration consultations twice monthly; many TPS holders may qualify for adjustment through employment or family-based petitions.
- For workforce disruptions: Community groups are educating employers about retaining workers despite TPS uncertainty. Noujian emphasized that TPS remains valid and urged employers not to lay off workers. Mutual aid and faith networks (Bethel AME, Boston Flourish) are coordinating rent, food, and diaper assistance.
- On the budget: MOIA’s total FY26 allocation is $1.8 million. Noujian declined to specify a needed increase, noting reliance on state-level funding.
Second Panel: Community Advocates
- Liz Sweet, Executive Director, MIRA Coalition: Noted that Haitian TPS holders in Massachusetts contribute $481 million annually in economic activity, $88 million in federal taxes, and $59 million in state/local taxes. She warned that a surge in immigration enforcement is possible and urged coordination. She also identified a chilling effect on law firms’ pro bono involvement compared to 2016.
- Dr. Gabo, Immigrant Family Services Institute (IFSI): Emphasized the severe mental and emotional toll on families, including stress-related hospitalizations and isolation. She noted that families are already losing jobs, facing rent and mortgage pressures, and that the state Homebase rental assistance program ends in June. She called for direct cash assistance and culturally competent mental health support.
- Pastor Kiki Jean-Frédorissant, Haitian American United (HAU): Stated that many TPS holders with Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL) have lost jobs because the RMV refuses to renew licenses due to work authorization card expiration. He reported a backlog of 150 pending TPS renewals at his office, and that employers often demand cards with longer expiration dates. He advocated for sustained legal representation, noting that pro bono lawyers are overwhelmed and private attorneys charge $7,000–$10,000.
- Wilson Telemot Louis, CEO, ITI Haiti: Highlighted the language barrier: 100% of Haitians speak Haitian Creole, but education in Haiti is in French, leading to low literacy. He called for English classes and job training for unemployed TPS holders. He also noted that many nonprofits face funding cuts and that the city should fund organizations directly rather than relying on philanthropy.
Key Outcomes and Next Steps
- Councilors committed to supporting budget amendments to restore MOIA funding (proposed cut to $1.8 million) and to expand legal services.
- Councilor Lugeon provided phone numbers for legal help: Massachusetts Access to Council Initiative (508-505-458), MIRA Immigration Helpline (508-293-1871), and MOIA (617-635-2980).
- An upcoming legal clinic will be held on Saturday, April 11, at the Marahunt School (Matahunt/Matapan) from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with attorneys from Lawyers for Civil Rights, MIRA, GBLS, and others. No pre-registration required.
- Councilors urged law firms to publicly step up pro bono representation, and Councilor Weber offered to help mobilize the legal community.
- The city council will continue to advocate for the federal TPS extension and support the discharge petition. Councilor Lugeon also urged community members to attend a rally on April 21 at the federal building.
- No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational and preparatory for budget negotiations.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. My name is Minor Culpepper District 7 City Councilor. And I am chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Civil Rights, Racial Equity, and Immigrant Advancement. Today is April 9th, 2026. The exact time is 10.01. The hearing is being recorded. It is also being live streamed as Boston.gov, City Council TV and broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN, Channel 82, files, Channel 964. Written comments may be sent to the committee email at ccc.civilrights at Boston.gov and will be made part of the record and available to all counselors. Public testimony will be taken at the end of this hearing. Individuals will be called on in the order in which they are signed up and will have two minutes to testify. If you are interested in testifying in person, please add your name to the sign-up sheet near the entrance of the chamber. If you're looking to testify virtually, please email our central staff, Ron Carr at Ron.com at Boston.gov. Let me just say that again. Ron.cub at Boston.gov for the link and your name will be added to the list. Today's hearing is on Docket No. 0299, order for a hearing to confront determination of federal protective status for Haitian immigrants and examine the City of Boston's response to protect it to protect affected residents. This matter was co-sponsored by counselors uh Julia Mejia and Ruthine Lugeon and was referred to the committee on February 4th. Today I am joined by my colleague, uh Councilor Ed Flynn. Good morning. Uh and lead co-sponsor Councillor Lu Jean. Thank you to my colleagues. Now joined by Councillor Murphy. Good morning. Thank you to my colleagues and panelists for joining today's hearing. And I especially want to thank Councilor Alujin for all the work she has done on this issue and for her advocacy and continued efforts to protect and uplift the Haitian community here in Boston and nationwide. As chair to make sure that the City of Boston is fully to prepare to support our Haitian residents in the event that federal protections are ultimately terminated. We're all aware that there is ongoing legal uncertainty surrounding temporary protective status for Haitian nationals. While court action has temporary temporarily preserved these protections, the outcome still remains unresolved. Given what is at stake, people's ability to work, remain housed, access health care, and keep their families stable. We have a responsibility to be proactive, not reactive. Boston is home to a strong and vibrant Haitian community that is deeply woven into the fabric of our city. They will be felt in our schools, our workforce, our housing system, and our neighborhoods. Today is about understanding the scope of that impact, assessing the city's readiness, and identifying where gaps may exist. As chair, I also want to be clear that this hearing is about action. What should the city council be doing now? Are there policies we should be advancing? What investments should we be making in the fiscal 27 budget? And what coordination has already taken place or needs to take place between the city and with community organizations. We need to ensure that if federal action puts our residents at risk, Boston is ready with a coordinated, well resourced, and community informed response. That means having clear data on who is impacted, ensuring legal and social capacity is in place, strengthening partnerships with trusted community organization, and aligning city and state resources ahead of time so that we are not responding in crisis but operating from a position of preparedness. Counselors will have five minutes for their opening remarks. With that, Council Lou Jean will start with you. I will not take five minutes. I will take 30 seconds. I want to thank all of the advocates, Monique, the incredible work that you've been doing, Liz at Mira, Pastor Kiki, Dr. Gabo. I'm in meetings about twice a week about TPS. Want to give a big big thanks to our Congresswoman Presley for her leadership on the discharge petition and the incredible grassroots advocacy of so many that made what felt impossible possible to get the necessary 218 signatures. I want to thank Philanthropy that has really stood in the gap during this moment. We got them, and I want to thank everyone who made that happen.
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