Over 450,000 Massachusetts residents have limited English-language proficiency, a new report finds.
The Boston Herald reported this as "another challenge for an economy losing many taxpayers to states with lower taxes and cost of living."
The report, from MassInc and UMass Donahue, found an estimated 480,000 residents with limited English proficiency (LEP). This is about 10% of the state’s workforce. The data might be an undercount, based on 2022 Census estimates.
The report urges state officials to help immigrants "contribute at their full potential to the commonwealth’s social and economic vitality." Boosting LEP skills by one level could generate $3 billion in additional annual earnings for local economies.
The influx of migrants calls for urgent expansion of "English for Speakers of Other Languages" (ESOL) services.
The report states, "Nearly two decades later, additional investment to increase access to ESOL is more critical than ever." Despite creative delivery models, state and federal ESOL spending hasn't kept pace with the foreign-born population growth.
This report follows Gov. Maura Healey's announcement of new restrictions prioritizing Massachusetts families for services.
These restrictions respond to a growing influx of migrants burdening the state’s homeless shelter system.
"Our administration has taken significant action to make the system more sustainable and help families leave shelter for stable housing. But with Congress failing to act on immigration reform, we need more changes," Gov. Healey said.
Last month, Healey sent members of her administration to the Texas border due to "record" migrant numbers coming to Boston.
Officials aim to connect with federal agencies, NGOs, and migrant families "to educate them about the lack of shelter availability in Massachusetts."
Many Democratic-run states and cities struggle with migrant numbers. Multiple mayors urge the Biden administration for more federal funding and expedited work permits for migrants to reduce reliance on social services.