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Critics of Gov. Maura Healey claimed she was prioritizing “illegal immigrant families” over Americans struggling with rising costs.
Image courtesy of Finn Gomez/The Boston Globe, accessed via Getty Images
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- In July 2026, the rumor spread online Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has redirected $100 million in taxpayer money to help “illegal immigrant families” claim up to $30,000 each over two years.
- The claim came from right-wing media outlets like Fox News, which reported that the governor’s closure of state housing programs in favor of a program designed to help those in need find more stable housing simply shifted costs from one program to another.
- The assumption that every family participating in the new program will receive $30,000 with no strings attached is unfounded, as is the idea that the program exists only to help “illegal immigrant families.” The application is by invitation only and has strict requirements, including meeting a certain income limit, paying at least 30% of the rent, and being in Massachusetts.
- The claim that Healey used $100 million in taxpayer money to fund the program appears to be accurate based on the state’s publicly available budget information and confirmation that the program is funded by the state.
- Snopes reached out to Healey’s office for comment on the use of taxpayer money and more information on how money is distributed. We will update this article if we receive a response.
A rRumors that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey diverted $100 million in taxpayer money to help “illegal immigrant families” collect up to $30,000 over two years began circulating online in July 2026.
People share the rumor On Facebook, he specifically claimed that Healey “poured nearly $100 million into programs that provide families of illegal immigrants up to $30,000 in housing assistance, $4,000 in monthly EBT cash, $500 in food assistance, as well as free health care and cable television over two years.”
The posts say Healey, a Democrat, is “supporting non-citizens while American families struggle with housing costs and inflation.” The widespread nature of these claims inspired many Snopes readers to seek clarity on the issue.
The rumor came from conservative media such as: Fox News reported that the governor Massachusetts shelter closures Proponents of a program designed to help those in need find more stable housing simply “shifted the costs to a program that makes migrants eligible for at least $30,000 in housing assistance over two years.”
These reports appeared to focus on a specific program called “ HomeBASEPart of the state’s emergency assistance program to help people find permanent housing.
Claims of families receiving $30,000
In summary, the claim that each family participating in HomeBASE receives a full $30,000 at taxpayer expense remains unsubstantiated. There are no publicly available records of how much money each eligible family receives, so we have chosen not to evaluate this claim.
Snopes reached out to Healey for more details on the program’s payouts and to comment on the claim that she was sending taxpayer money to “illegal immigrant families.” We’ll update this article if we hear anything.
What HomeBASE offers
It is true that the program caters to eligible families up to $30,000 over two years to pay rent and related costs, but it is false that this also includes “$4,000 per month in EBT cash, $500 in food assistance, and free health care and cable television,” as some versions of the claim claim.
In addition, HomeBASE offers the opportunity to share an apartment with another family or to live with a host-landlord known to the participant, with HomeBASE covering up to 50% of the costs. The program also provides assistance with outstanding rent and utility debts, as well as funds to purchase furniture.
Does HomeBASE cover “illegal immigrant families”?
The social media rumor appeared to have been based primarily on misleading language suggesting that HomeBASE’s benefits specifically went to “illegal immigrant families” and therefore “taxpayer dollars.” [was] is used to assist non-citizens” – but that appeared to be incorrect based on the information available on the HomeBASE website.
Contrary to these claims, the HomeBASE website It clearly states that applicants must be invited to apply for the program and must currently be living in a place of residence Emergency family shelter or are approved for accommodation in one but do not yet live there.
It is crucial that the applicants do this too Massachusetts residents.
Other qualifying factors include children under 21 (or pregnancy) and compliance with the Income standards for the program and homeless because of “non-fault fire, flood, natural disaster, condemnation or foreclosure, escape from domestic violence, no-fault eviction,” or because a child “is at serious health and safety risk.”
Those who qualify can receive an “advance of up to $30,000 toward rent (and some related expenses)” over two years, according to the program Information sheet for families.
The use of tax money
Critics spreading the rumor that “taxpayer dollars are being diverted” appeared to imply that the state was giving participants free money, but failed to mention that the program also requires applicants to use at least 30% of their income for rent and that the exact dollar amount of assistance is individual to individual families and can change depending on the situation.
According to the program’s website:
With HomeBASE you pay at least 30% of your gross monthly income (before taxes) for rent. How much of the rent you pay and how much HomeBASE covers depends on the plan you create with your case manager and your unit’s monthly rent. It may change as your circumstances change. The goal is to extend the benefits for as long as possible while stabilizing your income.
The HomeBASE website clearly states, “HomeBASE is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” which implies the use of taxpayer dollars.
The claim that the program began with a $100 million expenditure appears to be accurate based on publicly available information Budget records published by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts showing that projected spending for HomeBASE in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025) was approximately $75 million.
On June 18, 2025, the Boston Herald, a conservative newspaper, published published an official report which showed HomeBASE had spent $97.3 million so far in fiscal 2025, 20 million dollars more than planned. The individual item can be found on page 17 of the report.
Sources
CASEY, MICHAEL. “Massachusetts governor proposes allowing migrants in shelters to remain in the country legally.” AP NewsJanuary 15, 2025, accessed on July 9, 2026.
LeBLANC, STEVE. “Massachusetts stops using hotels and motels for homeless families.” AP NewsNovember 22, 2024, accessed on July 9, 2026.
MassGOP. “MassGOP: Healey Failed to Disclose Knowledge of Additional No-Bid Migrant Contracts.” Massachusetts GOPJuly 14, 2025, accessed on July 9, 2026.
Pinedo, Peter. “$30,000 in housing assistance for migrants puts Democratic administration under scrutiny over ‘revolving door’ policy.” Fox NewsAugust 7, 2025, accessed on July 9, 2026.
Rios, Simon. “As Mass. Shelter closes hotels, state funding for rental subsidies dwindles | WBUR News.” WburWBUR, July 2025, accessed July 9, 2026.
Van Buskirk, Chris. “Governor Maura Healey approves $5 million for the Immigrant Legal Defense Fund in the fiscal year 2026 state budget.” Boston HeraldJuly 8, 2025, accessed on July 9, 2026.
—. “Governor Maura Healey has spent nearly $830 million on shelters so far in FY25.” Boston HeraldJune 18, 2025, accessed on July 9, 2026.
—. “Maura Healey Pauses Some HomeBase Rental Support After Massive Surge in Demand.” Boston HeraldJune 26, 2025, accessed on July 9, 2026.
“70040108: HomeBASE | Governor’s FY26 Budget Recommendation.” Budget.Mass.Gov2026, accessed on July 9, 2026.
“Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Mass.Gov2024, accessed on July 9, 2026.
“Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Mass.Gov2025, accessed on July 9, 2026.
“HomeBASE | Mass.Gov.” www.Mass.GovAccessed July 9, 2026.
Joey Esposito has written for various entertainment publications. He is interested in music, video games… and birds.
https://www.snopes.com/news/2026/07/11/maura-healey-100-million-noncitizens/
