At kitchen tables and classrooms, in research institutions and doctors’ offices, our residents are feeling the consequences of decisions being made far beyond our state lines. On the other side of every cruel or illegal policy decision made by the federal government is a real person: a working mother, a business owner, a child, a teacher, a doctor, a neighbor. A human being.
Over the past year, my office has sued the federal government to stop actions that have threatened more than $3.3 billion in federal funding for Massachusetts. These are dollars our communities rely on to educate our children, promote public safety, protect public health, strengthen infrastructure, and support our most vulnerable neighbors. At the same time, we’ve seen a relentless assault on immigrant and LGBTQ communities, as well as countless violations of peoples’ civil and human rights.
As attorney general, my job is simple and serious: to protect Massachusetts, to stand up for our rights, our wallets, and our future. And I want you to know that at every turn, I have your back.
My office has filed nearly 50 lawsuits against the federal administration. Through that work, we have protected $3.14 billion of the $3.3 billion in funding put at risk. We’ve safeguarded residents’ rights, including their personal data, their access to basic services and benefits, and even newborn babies’ constitutional right to citizenship. But accountability doesn’t end in the courtroom, and it’s certainly not something my office can achieve alone.
Real justice requires transparency and listening. Every day, I hear from residents, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations who are experiencing fear, confusion, and uncertainty. Given the unprecedented attacks on fundamental rights and basic services, those feelings are understandable. That’s why my office recently launched two new public tools: a Storytelling Portal and a Federal Funding Dashboard. Together, they shine a light on what’s at stake and elevate the voices of the people most affected.
The Storytelling Portal gives residents and families a direct way to share how federal decisions are affecting their lives. These stories put a human face on harmful policies. A funding freeze becomes a lost childcare slot. A regulatory rollback becomes higher utility bills. A policy change becomes a student who no longer feels safe or supported at school. Each story helps my office identify emerging harms, understand what communities are experiencing in real time, and, in some cases, inform our legal response.
Equally important is our Federal Funding Dashboard, which illustrates exactly how much federal funding has been put at risk in Massachusetts, and how much my office has protected through our litigation and advocacy. For many communities across our state –– especially those where residents often feel left out and left behind –– federal dollars are the backbone of critical services. By making this data publicly available and easily accessible, we’re giving residents clear, accurate insight into what is at stake, and what is being done to defend it.
These tools are not about politics. They are about people. They are about ensuring that every resident –– no matter their zip code, income, or background –– has access to information and a meaningful voice in shaping our future.
I encourage everyone to explore these tools, share your story, and learn how we are fighting back against federal decisions that are affecting your community. In moments of uncertainty, information and collaboration are not luxuries –– they’re necessities. Together, we can continue protecting our communities, defending our rights, and building a Massachusetts where everyone has the chance to thrive.
To submit a story to the Storytelling Portal, visit mass.gov/ago/shareyourstory.
To visit the Federal Funding Dashboard, go to mass.gov/ago/federaldashboard.
Andrea Joy Campbell is the attorney general of Massachusetts.
You attack the federal government for illegal actions against citizens but then you want 3 billion from that same government. You make unfounded assertions against the federal government for infractions against immigrants and LGBTQ whatever those illegal actions are. Try to make factual claims and you have a better chance of getting our money.
As Massachusetts’ chief law-enforcement officer, the Attorney General owes the public accuracy, not advocacy.
This piece repeatedly claims that $3.3 billion in federal funding was “threatened,” and that $3.14 billion was “protected” through litigation, yet never defines what threatened means. Was funding legally rescinded? Delayed? Proposed but never enacted? Or merely counted as hypothetically at risk? Those are materially different things. Preserving the status quo while a lawsuit is pending is not the same as recovering lost funds, and aggregating speculative exposure into multibillion-dollar figures misleads readers.
The emphasis on filing “nearly 50 lawsuits” similarly substitutes quantity for substance. Lawsuits are not outcomes. Some were symbolic, some consolidated, some produced no material change, and some addressed policies that never directly affected Massachusetts residents. Filing papers is not proof of harm prevented.
More concerning is the reliance on a “Storytelling Portal” to identify harms. Anecdotes are not evidence. They are unverified, selectively framed, and inappropriate as a basis for legal claims. An Attorney General’s office should rely on findings, affidavits, and court rulings — not curated narratives.
Finally, references to newborns’ citizenship rights imply an active deprivation that has not occurred. No Massachusetts newborn has lost citizenship. We deserve clear facts.
“No Massachusetts newborn has lost citizenship.” – Yet
See Trump’s remarks on the matter.
Murray, you have a fan club. Thank you for exposing too many holes in this essay and others— and in so many comments. I especially appreciate that you hold writers accountable for their hyperbole, imprecision, and off-topic nonsense— and you do it so politely! Your contributions have raised the bar of this paper’s comment feature. The insistence on clear facts makes all the difference.
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