Did Maura Healy give $30,000 to illegal immigrants?

1. The $30,000 figure — what it actually describes

The “$30,000” number cited in news and opinion pieces refers to HomeBASE’s rough maximum level of rental assistance over 24 months for eligible families, not an automatic per-person cash payment handed directly to every migrant upon arrival ^{[1] [2]}. Reporting states eligible families can receive “$30,000 in assistance spread over 24 months,” and some items note a third-year extension capped at an additional $15,000 was available earlier but ended as of July ^{[2] [1]}.

2. Who is eligible — competing claims and administration response

Right-leaning outlets and advocacy groups frame the program as benefiting “illegal immigrants” or “undocumented” arrivals, while the Healey administration “pushed back” on claims that undocumented immigrants broadly receive HomeBASE benefits ^[2]. Available sources document critics’ assertions that migrants were a growing share of HomeBASE caseloads and that eligibility rules changed under Healey, but they do not provide a definitive, single-source list proving every recipient’s immigration status; the administration said it added eligibility requirements to ensure legal compliance ^[2].

3. Scale of spending and caseload growth

Multiple reports and commentators highlight a rapid expansion: HomeBASE spending reportedly increased from about $9.5 million in 2022 to roughly $97 million in 2025, while caseloads rose from about 1,473 families in January 2023 to roughly 7,767 by April 2025 ^{[1] [2]}. The Boston Globe and other outlets put the broader migrant-related cost in the state near $1 billion and note the political fallout; those figures are cited by critics calling for more transparency ^{[3] [4]}.

4. Shelter closures and policy shifts — context for the criticism

Critics argue Healey shifted costs from hotel shelters to HomeBASE rental assistance as the administration reduced shelter stays and began ending hotel use for families, creating the perception that the state “gave” migrants $30,000 to move into apartments ^{[4] [1]}. Supporters or the administration emphasize legal constraints, program eligibility checks, and efforts to transition families into longer-term housing rather than describe the payments as unconditional benefits to undocumented individuals ^[2].

5. Political framing and sources’ agendas

Conservative advocacy groups and party outlets (MassGOP, FAIR, FAIRUS, and some conservative blogs) emphasize undocumented beneficiaries and criminal incidents to argue mismanagement and taxpayer abuse ^{[3] [5] [6]}. Conversely, reporting from mainstream outlets such as the Boston Globe and WBUR frames the issue as a complex fiscal and operational crisis with legal limits and transparency challenges, noting both costs and measures the administration took to shorten shelter stays ^{[4] [7]}.

6. What the provided sources do not settle

Available sources do not provide a publicly accessible, itemized roster proving that a specific individual labeled “illegal immigrant” directly received a $30,000 lump-sum payment from the state; nor do they fully settle the legal-eligibility status for every HomeBASE recipient in the cited timeframes ^{[1] [2]}. The administration’s public rebuttals are noted but the provided documents do not contain exhaustive audit data or a master list of recipients with immigration status ^[2].

7. Bottom line for readers

The claim that Healey “gave $30,000 to illegal immigrants” is a simplified political framing of a more complicated reality: HomeBASE can provide up to about $30,000 in rental assistance over two years to eligible families, program enrollment and spending surged under the Healey administration, and critics say migrants benefited—while the administration disputes blanket characterizations and says eligibility rules were tightened ^{[1] [2] [4]}. For a definitive answer on specific recipients’ immigration status and payment details, the sources provided do not supply audited recipient-level data or conclusive public records ^[2].