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Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Immigration restrictions on Head Start ‘deeply threaten' program's work, state leader says
Advertisement 'Immigration status has never been part of the equation of what families need to survive in this country,' Haimowitz said in an interview. 'And so any of these attempts to impose these requirements deeply threaten the work that we do.' Head Start, In Massachusetts alone, Head Start assists more than 11,000 children and their families each year, including connecting children to medical, dental, and vision screenings, according to the state organization. Advertisement Immigrants who are in the country without authorization have generally not been eligible for public benefits like food stamps. But some federally funded community programs, like Head Start, have not blocked immigrants from receiving help. President Trump Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump's HHS secretary, Kennedy said the ban 'restores integrity to federal social programs, enforces the rule of law, and protects vital resources for the American people.' The ban would apply to Head Start, along with other federally funded programs, including Community Services Block Grants, mental health, workforce, transitional housing assistance, and substance use and treatment services, according to HHS. Heather Yountz, an attorney with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, said the ban was 'shameful,' and is part of a larger effort to target immigrant children, including by allowing ICE to enter schools and cutting spending on legal services for children seeking asylum. Yountz raised several concerns about the order, which she believes is open to legal challenge. 'Trump's action will have a chilling effect on all immigrants, not just low-income babies and toddlers,' Yountz said in an e-mail. The federal ban comes months after the Trump administration Advertisement Sharon Scott-Chandler, the president and CEO of Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), which oversees Head Start services children living in Greater Boston and the Mystic Valley, said her organization was still trying to understand how the ban will affect their operation. In 2024, ABCD Head Start served around 2,000 families and more than 2,100 children, according to the organization. 'We want children to grow up and be productive, educated, healthy young people and then citizens,' Scott-Chandler said in an interview. 'So I think creating barriers [and] creating distinctions between children is going to have an impact on how we can make communities healthier.' People who rely on ABCD for assistance, and are worried about the ban, should continue coming to the organization, she said. 'We don't close the door on anyone,' Scott-Chandler said. Critics like Gladys Vega, president and chief executive officer of Chelsea-based La Colaborativa, which provides medical care and access to meals to Latino immigrants, said the ban's impact will be felt by American citizens. Many immigrant households include both people who are citizens and those who aren't, she said. 'We believe that no child should be neglected, left behind or punished for the status of their parents,' Vega said. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, in a statement, said Head Start has been a critical part of providing early childhood education. 'At the City level, we've seen how much the entire community benefits when we remove barriers for working families to access critical supports and when our youngest students have the best preparation for Kindergarten,' Wu said. Advertisement Elizabeth Sweet, the executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition, called for the ban to be rescinded. 'Cutting off access to essential early education opportunities for immigrant children is deeply harmful and misguided,' Sweet said. Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. John Hilliard can be reached at
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Worcester father of 4-month-old deported after ICE ‘violated his rights,' attorney says
The Worcester father of a 4-month-old child was deported to Fortaleza, Brazil, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials signed a deportation authorization document in his name without his permission, according to his attorney. Samarone Alves Ferreira-De Souza, the partner of 21-year-old Augusta Clara Moura and father of her baby, was deported to Brazil from his detention center in Louisiana on May 25, said Andrew George Lattarulo, an immigration lawyer from the Chelsea-based firm, Georges Cote Law. Ferreira-De Souza was arrested by ICE on May 7 after he honked at an undercover car with ICE agents in Worcester while he was driving to work, Lattarulo previously told MassLive. Clara Moura witnessed her mother, 40-year-old Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira of Brazil, be arrested and detained by ICE agents one day later. In the wake of his deportation, Ferreira-De Souza's partner, Clara Moura, has been feeling 'very sad,' Lattarulo told MassLive. She and her 4-month-old son will leave for Brazil on June 6 to be with Ferreira-De Souza, the lawyer said. On May 25, Lattarulo received a phone call from his client in Brazil. During the call, Ferreira-De Souza said that ICE officials asked him if he would sign a form authorizing his deportation from the United States, according to Lattarulo. The lawyer isn't sure what form ICE agents signed and said he was not provided a copy when he asked the agency. Even though his client refused, Lattarulo stated that ICE informed Ferreira-De Souza that they had signed the document on his behalf. 'When my client questioned it, they said, 'we already signed for you. You're going back.'' Lattarulo said. 'They didn't even let him talk to us the last few days he was incarcerated.' The attorney went on to say that Ferreira-De Souza was not provided due process before his deportation. 'ICE is trying to deport people now without immigration hearings,' Lattarulo said. 'They violated his (Ferreira-De Souza's) rights and they're doing it to everyone they can.' ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. Lattarulo told MassLive that his client is doing fine but has decided not to fight his deportation in court as he was tired of being in the United States. The May 7 and May 8 ICE arrests sundered Clara Moura's family. Now, with her leaving the country and her mother's continued detainment, her two sisters are in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, according to Lattarulo. The day after Ferreira-De Souza was arrested, Clara Moura — through her lawyer — said ICE came to her home, telling her to return her partner's car and sign immigration paperwork. She said she left her house with her baby and her 17-year-old sister, intending to comply with the order. 'That's when ICE stopped my car and told me I was under arrest,' Clara Moura said. 'Since I was with my baby, I called my mother to come take my son.' Clara Moura also claims that ICE agents also attempted to take her baby from her but they backed down due to protests from neighbors. When her mother arrived, ICE agents attempted and succeeded in arresting her. Screams and chants of 'don't take the mother' erupted on Eureka Street as a crowd of more than 30 people confronted the agents. Clara Moura, along with her 17-year-old sister, both saw their mother being taken away and put into an SUV. Worcester Police Officers arrived at the scene after 11 a.m. after 911 calls were made from ICE agents requesting police assistance and calls from people at the scene. Body camera footage worn by Officer Juan Vallejo that was released by the Worcester Police Department on May 16 showed Ferreira-De Oliveira's teenage daughter run up to the side of the SUV's front passenger door. Police later claimed she tried to kick the door, but it is difficult to confirm this due to the shaky footage and the large police presence. Vallejo and other officers surrounded the girl and moved her to the ground on the street. During the arrest, an officer yells, 'You're under arrest for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.' The daughter was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, according to police. Following her arrest, she was released from custody to be with family friends along with Clara Moura, the baby and another daughter of Ferreira-De Oliveira, who is a minor. On May 16, Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier announced the department requested a court to dismiss the case against the daughter. Saucier said in a statement that 'it is important to emphasize that assaulting or interfering with law enforcement officers as they carry out their duties is never acceptable.' With Clara Moura and her son moving back to Brazil, Lattarulo said that the two other sisters may in the country. He believes that Ferreira-De Oliveira has been in contact with her family, but he does not have any further information. The mother of three is currently being held at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, Rhode Island. A lawyer for Ferreira-De Oliveira did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. ICE has ratcheted up operations in the past four months following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, and has been very active in Massachusetts. While the Trump administration has maintained that its enforcement efforts are confined to targeting 'illegal immigrant killers, rapists and drug dealers‚' several of the arrests have been for much more minor crimes — right down to an argument over a cell phone. Several ICE arrests were reported throughout Massachusetts in May. On May 27, about 40 people on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard were arrested by ICE during an operation, with the U.S. Coast Guard taking them off the island. ICE agents were seen making traffic stops in unmarked vehicles Tuesday, May 27, MassLive's media partner, the Vineyard Gazette, reported. On May 31, an 18-year-old student from Milford High School was arrested and detained by ICE agents while he was headed to volleyball practice. The student was identified as Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, according to WBUR. A habeas corpus petition filed by the student's attorney reads that Gomes Da Silva arrived in the United States in 2012 through a student visa, according to WBUR. The visa has since lapsed and Gomes Da Silva 'intends apply for asylum,' WBUR reports. In response to the filing, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Sterns released an order on Sunday afternoon stating that Gomes Da Silva must not be moved out of Massachusetts for at least 72 hours, according to WBUR. On June 1, protesters gathered in Milford, decrying against the arrest and demanding Gomes Da Silva's return. In a statement, Gov. Maura Healey said she was 'disturbed and outraged' by the reports of the 18-year-old's arrest. 'Yet again, local officials and law enforcement have been left in the dark with no heads up and no answers to their questions,' Healey said. 'I'm demanding that ICE provide immediate information about why he was arrested, where he is and how his due process is being protected.' Mass. Hidden Gems: Comfy classics and a mystery menu at Peppercorn's Here's where to see fireworks this weekend in Massachusetts Worcester teen who died eating spicy chip to be honored with street Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Millions in federal funds slashed for violence prevention in Massachusetts
The U.S. Department of Justice is slashing millions of dollars in grants to Massachusetts organizations that work to decrease violence and support victims. Termination letters sent out to non-profits this week offered a 30-day window to appeal. Hundreds of grants are being cancelled nationwide because they reportedly do not align with the Trump administration's priorities. Organizations that received those notifications from the federal government are now grappling with the impact of major funding losses. 'It's a big blow. We believe our mission is perfectly aligned with the goals of the administration,' said Dwight Robson, Executive Vice President of Operations at Chelsea-based Roca. The DOJ rescinded $6 million in federal grants to Roca. Robson said the three termination letters he received this week directly impact his non-profit's work in Boston, Hartford, and Baltimore. Law enforcement in those cities has credited Roca with helping to decrease homicide rates. 'We're working hard to consider how we might close this gap. It's enormous,' he said. 'Community violence intervention works. The proof is in the individual stories of transformation we see every day.' Other non-profits in Massachusetts that also work to curb crime rates, prevent convicted felons from ending up back in prison, and combat gang violence are processing the immediate cuts as well. 'The message we got is this does not align with the agency's goals, yet I would firmly believe that the Department of Justice is about public safety,' said Gregg Croteau, CEO of Lowell-based UTEC. Greg Croteau's organization helps young adults who have been involved in criminal activity get on the right track. The termination letters UTEC received strip $2 million in federal grants. 'This is funding specifically under their program called community violence intervention that works in partnership with community-based organizations, law enforcement, and corrections,' explained Croteau. 'It provides everything from mental health services to childcare support.' Ruth Zakarian, CEO of the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, sent the following statement to Boston 25 News: 'Community Violence Intervention programs are a critical to keeping our communities safe from gun violence. Any disruption in funding is a devastating blow to these programs and the communities they serve. If our government is truly committed to the work of stopping gun violence and keeping our communities safe, they will ensure that CVI programs here in Massachusetts and across the country receive the resources they need.' Boston 25 News reached out to the Department of Justice for comment and has not yet heard back. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Thanks to Trump's tariffs, silver jewellery is on the rise – and it's great for older complexions
Are you a gold person or a silver person? Not long ago, the answer would be instant and definitive; like cat or dog, gin or vodka. But after years of yellow-gold dominance, the winds of change are shifting former die-hard gold fans towards the cool brilliance of silver. The price of gold has a part to play, due to financial uncertainty globally after Trump's tariffs caused the stock market to plummet. Gold's value has risen as a result. It has increased by 37 per cent over the past year and last month hit an all-time high of $3,000 (£2,300) per troy ounce, a shift that will force jewellers to raise prices on already-expensive gold jewellery once again. Silver has also increased, by a more modest 13.38 per cent, and now hovers around £24.71 per ounce. One-hundredth of the price, when consumers are more prudent than ever; it's no surprise that many jewellers are welcoming the move towards silver. 'In recent years, I have noticed a growing interest in silver jewellery, especially among older clients,' says the Chelsea-based jeweller Cassandra Goad, who for 40 years has created designs in silver as well as solid gold. 'My silver designs have long been popular among younger age groups, but now more women are choosing it as a practical, accessible yet stylish alternative to gold.' It's more understated, she adds, and suitable for the workplace; equally, clients are opting for statement silver jewels for evenings out, 'leaving their heirloom evening jewels safe at home'. From a jeweller's perspective, the more modest material cost encourages creativity and permits larger, more striking pieces. 'As a designer, I love how adaptable and playful silver is – there's less concern about the weight of the piece compared to gold, so it can be quite freeing,' says Francesca Kippax, the founder of Anuka, whose sculptural pieces are crafted from recycled sterling silver or Fairmined gold. For spring/summer 2025, the jeweller collaborated with fashion designer Patrick McDowell on a range of oversized floral designs which have been worn by Keira Knightley, who demonstrated how sophisticated silver can look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by PATRICK McDOWELL (@patrick__mcdowell) 'Silver is often thought of as a metal for younger complexions, but I find it striking on more mature skin tones. Its cool, clean tones can create a beautiful contrast,' says Goad. The steely lustre of silver works well with grey or white hair, too. For its latest campaign, British brand Otiumberg enlisted Sarah Harris, the Vogue editor known for her mane of white hair, who appears adorned in silver jewellery. Otiumberg's silver jewellery sales have increased by 244 per cent over the past year, and it is producing its best-selling gold designs in sterling silver to meet customer demand. 'As a business we have fallen in love with silver and I think our customers see the value in it too,' says co-founder Christie Wollenberg. 'We often mix metals in our shoots and our customers are happy to play a little more with the tones they wear.' Silver lends itself to the sculptural trend that currently dominates jewellery: a look perfected at By Pariah, whose curvaceous Luna cuff is a bestseller. 'Silver allows for elevated design at an entry-level price point,' says founder Sophie Howard. 'I love that silver doesn't pretend to be anything else, unlike gold vermeil or other metals that try to mimic the appearance of more expensive materials. It proudly embraces its own unique character and charm.' The New York-based jeweller Nina Runsdorf recently dug out a suite of silver jewellery she made in her parents' kitchen in the late 1970s, which was inspired by contemporary American sculptors. Encouraged by the reactions of her 20-something employees, she decided to revisit the designs in a new silver collection called Archive. And it's proving popular across all age ranges, she says, thanks to the chunky, statement silhouettes and effortless wearability. Oversized earrings and spiralling silver rings are popular at Greek brand Ysso, whose Birth of Venus necklace pairs a silver shell with a leather cord, tapping into the Nineties nostalgia that has been popular for the last few seasons. 'Some people have always worn silver – it's central to their personal style – while others are only now beginning to explore it,' says co-founder Alexia Karides. Those discovering it later in life find it surprisingly flattering. 'Silver emits a cool-toned light that complements older complexions beautifully; it brings a sense of quiet elegance and refinement.' The metal's low-key look feels right for now, says Anna Jewsbury, the founder of London-based brand Completedworks, which had seen a 91 per cent increase in sales of silver jewellery over the last 12 months. 'Silver has a different kind of energy; it's cooler, more understated, and somehow feels more in step with the mood right now. There's a move away from overt displays of luxury, and silver speaks to a quieter kind of confidence, an unfussiness which feels modern and relevant.' Not all silver-toned jewellery is made of solid silver, so it's important to inspect the material details carefully. Sterling silver is 92.5 per cent pure silver and is more durable than silver-plated jewellery, which is often made of brass. And as with any precious material, provenance is a growing concern. Many jewellers use recycled silver. 886, the brand backed by The Royal Mint, uses silver reclaimed from discarded X-ray films. Its bar pendants turn usually hidden hallmarks into decorations to be worn proudly, testament to the purity and inherent preciousness of the metal. Silver will tarnish with oxidisation, so silver jewellery requires extra TLC to keep it looking its best. Chlorine will turn it black, so it shouldn't be worn while swimming. 'I always advise clients to store their silver jewellery in a zip lock bag when not in use for extended periods to help reduce oxidation,' says Goad. If starts to look dull, using bicarbonate of soda and a polishing cloth or a good-quality silver cleaner (Goad recommends Town Talk Silver Sparkle) will restore its shine. All of which is good news for those who have unloved silver pieces lurking at the back of their jewellery box. A quick polish, and you might find they breathe new life into your tried-and-trusted summer outfits. Especially if in the intervening years you've decided to embrace silver up top, too.
Boston Globe
06-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Mass Audubon scores court victory in quest to turn old Chelsea factory into waterfront park
'It's a once-in-a-generation opportunity for folks to gain access to the water,' said Roseann Bongiovanni, executive director of local advocacy group GreenRoots and a lifelong Chelsea resident who is working with Mass Audubon. Advertisement Developers have tried and failed to repurpose the property in question, the old Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing site, for years. Most recently, a businessman based in Australia, Ken He, had acquired it in 2014 with the intentions of building housing there. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, disrupting his plans. A lawyer for He, John G.F. Ruggieri, called the proposed sale to Mass Audubon an improper taking at a liquidation price; his client filed an appeal the next day. (In a statement, Mass Audubon says the owner had neglected the property and had plenty of time to line up a buyer.) Chelsea city officials had begun the process of seeking a court-appointed receiver to take control of the run-down property when a massive fire hit in November, disrupting travel on the commuter rail tracks that run along the site. The receiver then took over, with the help of a $400,000 loan from the city to cover her expenses. She petitioned Nestor to approve the sale, citing the site's deteriorating conditions. Advertisement On March 25, Nestor agreed to the deal. 'What is needed in this matter is a certain and soon outcome,' Nestor wrote. 'This offer will repay the taxpayers of Chelsea, clean up the property, and provide a reasonable development for the site. Defendants have had ample opportunity to suggest a viable opportunity but have failed to do so.' For Mass Audubon, the site would fit in well with its newer mission of developing green spaces in urban areas. Mass Audubon, GreenRoots, and their supporters have already raised the money for the purchase price, though president David O'Neill said they would need to raise another $30 million to clean up the property and build a waterfront park and nature center. A portion of those funds would come from The Neighborhood Developers, a Chelsea-based affordable housing nonprofit that would buy a five-acre section of the property and build up to 225 units there. TND executive director Rafael Mares called it 'a transformative project' that's 'worth the wait.' Housing and land conservation, O'Neill said, are often portrayed as conflicting uses. 'In this instance, what we're saying is, 'Absolutely not,'' O'Neill said. 'This is an example of what can be done [with housing and conservation groups] working together.' But first the Mass Audubon team will need to get through He, who bought the property in 2014 for $11.6 million and remains its owner. Ruggieri, his lawyer, called the sale a 'completely ramrodded, behind-the-scenes deal.' His client, he said, has poured millions into the property, mainly for permitting, since acquiring it and was fielding interest from potential buyers when the receiver took control and fired his broker. The offers, Ruggieri said, were for well above what Mass Audubon has agreed to pay. Advertisement 'The owner of this property is absolutely apoplectic about this order,' Ruggieri said. 'We are very confident that the Appeals Court will not sanction [this] distressed sale. ... We're not enemies of the Audubon Society. However, they need to pay the proper price. They just can't take it clandestinely.' Jon Chesto can be reached at
