Immigrant advocates, including Haverhill Rep. Andy X. Vargas, last Thursday lobbied for expanded eligibility of a tax credit that’s seen as a key tool to prevent poverty and improve education outcomes among low-income households. About 21,000 to 26,000 households that are not currently eligible for the state Earned Income Tax Credit due to their immigration status stand to benefit from the expansion, according to the Healthy Families Tax Credits Coalition. At a briefing co-hosted by the legislative Black and Latino Caucus, supporters said the provision should be incorporated into the fiscal 2025 budget. “If we want Massachusetts to continue to be a place where people want to come to work, to provide for our economy, for their families and for others, then the least we can do is to ensure that all taxpayers are treated fairly, and that’s what this message is about,” said Vargas, caucus vice chair. “We’re going to continue to push as hard as we can on this.”
Immigrant workers are required to pay taxes, but often do so using Internal Revenue Service-issued individual taxpayer identification numbers.