Snopes13%
Unpacking claim Massachusetts governor gave $100M in taxpayer money to noncitizens 4%
By Joey Esposito27%
7/11/2026, 11:00:08 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 1 faulty reasoning type, including Politically Right Leaning Bias, with Politically Right Leaning Bias as the most egregious example at 10.2% saturation with 138 hits. Analysis detected 138 faulty-reasoning hits from 1,353 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 17.6% and a BS Rank of 4% (13,874 of 14,328 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 96.80% of the article peer group.
Unpacking claim Massachusetts governor gave $100M in taxpayer money to noncitizens
Critics of Gov.
Maura Healey claimed she prioritized "illegal immigrant families" over Americans struggling with rising costs.
Published July 11, 2026
Image courtesy of Finn Gomez/The Boston Globe, accessed via Getty Images
In July 2026, a rumor spread online that Massachusetts Gov.
Maura Healey diverted $100 million in taxpayer money to help "illegal immigrant families" claim up to $30,000 each over a period of two years.
The claim originated with right-leaning media outlets such as Fox News, which reported that the governor's closure of state shelter programs in favor of a program to help those in need find more stable housing merely shifted the cost from one program to another.
The assumption that every family partaking in the new program receives $30,000 with no strings attached is unfounded, as is the notion that the program exists only to benefit "illegal immigrant families."
Application is by invitation only and imposes strict requirements, including meeting a certain income threshold, paying at least 30% toward rent and being a Massachusetts resident.
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 funds and further monetary distribution information.
We will update this article if we receive a response.
A r umor that Massachusetts Gov.
Maura Healey diverted $100 million in taxpayer money to help "illegal immigrant families" collect up to $30,000 over a period of two years circulated online in July 2026.
People sharing the rumor on Facebook specifically alleged Healey "poured almost $100 million into programs that provide illegal immigrant families with up to $30,000 in housing assistance over two years, $4,000 monthly in EBT cash, $500 in food aid, plus free healthcare and cable."
The posts stated that Healey, a Democrat, was supporting "non-citizens while American families struggle with housing costs and inflation."
The widespread nature of these claims inspired many Snopes readers to reach out for clarity on the subject.
The rumor originated with conservative media outlets such as Fox News reporting that the governor's closure of Massachusetts' shelter programs in favor of a program designed to help those in need find more stable housing merely shifted "the costs over to a program that makes migrants eligible to receive at least $30,000 in housing assistance over two years."
These reports appeared to focus on one program in particular called HomeBASE , part of the state's emergency assistance program to help people find permanent housing.
Claims of families receiving $30K
In sum, the claim that every family partaking in HomeBASE receives a full $30,000 at the expense of taxpayers remains unconfirmed.
There are no publicly available records detailing how much money each eligible family is issued, so we have opted to not put a rating on this claim.
Snopes reached out to Healey for further details on the program's payouts and for comment on the claim she was transferring taxpayers' money to "illegal immigrant families."
We will update this article if and when we hear back.
What HomeBASE does offer
It is true that the program offers eligible families up to $30,000 over two years toward paying rent and related expenses, but it's false that it also includes "$4,000 monthly in EBT cash, $500 in food aid, plus free healthcare and cable" as asserted in some versions of the claim.
In addition, HomeBASE offers options to share an apartment with another family or live with a host landlord known to the participant, with HomeBASE covering up to 50% of the cost.
The program also provides assistance with outstanding rent and utilities debt, and funds to acquire furniture.
Does HomeBASE cover 'illegal immigrant families'?
The social media rumor appeared to be primarily driven by misleading language that suggested the benefits of HomeBASE were handed out specifically to "illegal immigrant families" and therefore "taxpayer money [was] being used to support non-citizens" — but that appeared to be false based on information available on the HomeBASE website.
Contrary to those assertions, the HomeBASE website clearly states that applicants must be invited to apply to the program and must be currently living in an Emergency Assistance Family Shelter or approved to be placed in one but not yet living there.
Crucially, applicants must also be Massachusetts residents .
Other qualifying factors include having children under age 21 (or being pregnant), meeting the income standards for the program and being homeless because of "no-fault fire, flood, natural disaster, condemnation, or foreclosure, fleeing domestic violence, no-fault eviction" or having a child "exposed to a serious health and safety risk."
Those who qualify can get a "benefit up to $30,000 toward rent (and some related expenses) over two years," according to the program's information sheet for families .
The use of taxpayer money
Critics who promulgated the "taxpayers' money diverted" rumor 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 toward rent, and that the exact dollar amount of assistance is unique to individual families and can change as their situations do.
According to the program's website:
With HomeBASE, you will pay at least 30% of your gross (pre-tax) monthly income toward rent.
How much of the rent you pay and how much HomeBASE covers is unique to the plan you create with your case manager and the monthly rent of your unit.
It can change as your circumstances change.
The goal is to stretch the benefit as long as possible, while you stabilize your income.
The HomeBASE website clearly states "HomeBASE is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," implying the use of taxpayer money.
The claim that the program began with a $100 million expenditure appears to be accurate according to publicly available budget records published by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which show the projected spending for HomeBASE was around $75 million in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025).
On June 18, 2025, the Boston Herald, a conservative newspaper, published an official report that showed HomeBASE had thus far spent $97.3 million in the fiscal year 2025, $20 million more than what was projected .
The line item can be found on Page 17 of the report.
CASEY, MICHAEL.
"Massachusetts Governor Proposes That Migrants in Shelters Be in the Country Legally."
AP News , 15 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/massachusetts-homeless-migrants-shelter-governor-8b0fc06623cdd69ee08a2cbf01e2b50b.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
LeBLANC, STEVE.
"Massachusetts Is Winding Down Use of Hotels and Motels for Homeless Families."
AP News , 22 Nov. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/massachusetts-homeless-migrants-shelter-56937d06f14f0c3e60538c41923d4489.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
MassGOP.
"MassGOP: Healey Failed to Disclose Knowledge of More No-Bid Migrant Contracts."
Massachusetts GOP , 14 July 2025, https://massgop.com/massgop-healey-failed-to-disclose-knowledge-of-more-no-bid-migrant-contracts/.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
Pinedo, Peter.
"$30K in Migrant Housing Aid Has Dem Gov on Hot Seat for 'Revolving Door' Policy."
Fox News , 7 Aug. 2025, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/30k-migrant-housing-aid-has-dem-gov-hot-seat-revolving-door-policy.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
Rios, Simón.
"As Mass.
Closes Shelter Hotels, State Funds for Rent Subsidies Run Out | WBUR News."
Wbur , WBUR, July 2025, https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/07/01/massachusetts-shelter-hotels-close-state-rent-subsidy-homebase.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
Van Buskirk, Chris.
"Gov.
Maura Healey Approves $5M for Immigrant Legal Defense Fund in FY26 State Budget."
Boston Herald , 8 July 2025, https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/07/08/gov-maura-healey-approves-5m-for-immigrant-legal-defense-fund-in-fy26-state-budget/.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
---.
"Gov.
Maura Healey Has So Far Spent Nearly $830M on Emergency Shelters in FY25."
Boston Herald , 18 June 2025, https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/06/18/gov-maura-healey-has-so-far-spent-nearly-830m-on-emergency-shelters-in-fy25/.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
---.
"Maura Healey Pauses Some HomeBase Rental Assistance After Massive Spike in Demand."
Boston Herald , 26 June 2025, https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/06/26/maura-healey-pauses-some-homebase-rental-assistance-after-massive-spike-in-demand/.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
"70040108: HomeBASE | Governor's FY26 Budget Recommendation."
Budget.Mass.Gov , 2026, https://budget.digital.mass.gov/govbudget/fy26/appropriations/housing-and-livable-communities/70040108/.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
"Commonwealth of Massachusetts."
Mass.Gov , 2024, https://www.mass.gov/doc/homebase-flyer-for-families-english/.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
"Commonwealth of Massachusetts."
Mass.Gov , 2025, https://www.mass.gov/doc/dhs-notice-on-2026-federal-poverty-income-guidelines-011626/.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
"HomeBASE | Mass.Gov."
Www.Mass.Gov , https://www.mass.gov/info-details/homebase.
Accessed 9 July 2026.
Joey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications.
He's into music, video games ... and birds.
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