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South Coast residents are expressing concern and fear to their state representatives following more than 60 executive orders from President Donald Trump’s first weeks in office, many of which could impact Massachusetts.
Early in his second term, Trump has tried to pause federal spending, threatened mass deportation and cracked down on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. It’s unclear how many of Trump’s executive orders are constitutional, prompting dozens of federal lawsuits — and a wave of confusion.
Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral, D-New Bedford, said that the current chaos comes from a lack of specifics in many of the executive orders. So the first step is figuring out what they might mean for the state, should they survive the lawsuits.
In interviews with The Light, Democratic Reps. Cabral, Christopher Markey, Mark Sylvia and Christopher Hendricks said they want people to be aware of the risks. Should Massachusetts lose federal funding, important programs would come under threat.
“We understand that we’re going to have, probably, an antagonistic relationship with the administration in the next few years,” New Bedford’s Hendricks said. “There is worry, but there is a sense of, we can handle this. … We’re just gonna stay the course and take issues as they come.”
The state House and Senate need to pass the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget by July. Trump’s moves have put the budget proposal in an uncertain state, since federal funding typically makes up about a quarter of the Commonwealth’s budget, according to the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center. Massachusetts depends on the federal government for direct partnerships and state-administered programs, Fairhaven’s Sylvia said.
Though a federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump’s funding freeze, state representatives said a loss of federal funding would damage the South Coast, particularly if it affected state programs.
“We would see a greater impact as well, because cities like New Bedford and Fall River and others rely even more on state assistance,” Cabral said. For example, the majority of funding for public schools in the area comes from the state, not from local taxes.
Hendricks said he thinks a lot of the chaotic reaction to the threat of a federal funding freeze has been “overblown,” because without congressional approval, the president has no authority over spending. But, he said, “I think there’s some legitimate concerns there, relative to how much Congress basically lets Trump do whatever he wants.”
New Bedford’s representatives said MassHealth, the state’s health insurance program, is their most immediate concern. MassHealth combines two federal programs, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
In Congress, House Republicans sought significant cuts to Medicaid in a budget plan released Wednesday, which the House Budget Committee voted to advance.
Last year, MassHealth took up almost a third of the state budget, with the federal government partially reimbursing the state.
“There’s no way we could afford to do it the way we’re doing it, and it’s a real problem for us,” Markey said. “Down in southeastern Mass., we rely on one large hospital system that’s a nonprofit, that takes a disproportionate amount of people who are on public pay.”
That hospital system is Southcoast Health, a not-for-profit, charitable, community-based health system that serves New Bedford and surrounding areas.
Hendricks said the fear brought about by uncertainty is powerful. Already, he said, Trump’s plans to deport undocumented immigrants is affecting the immigrant community.
“[It affects] the way people live their daily lives down in the lower North End area in my district,” Hendricks said. “People don’t go out. People are scared to go to the grocery store. They’re scared to go to pick up their kids from school.”
Hendricks said he works closely with the growing Guatemalan community in his district, and is working with the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, an immigrant advocacy group, to make sure immigrants know their rights.
Markey says he’s seen a slight increase in questions from residents because of Trump’s moves, mostly from elderly constituents concerned about benefits. He said he is visible in the community and answers questions.
Sylvia and Hendricks said they want to be there to answer questions from worried constituents. Cabral said it’s important to communicate the risks of pending executive orders to minimize confusion.
“I think it’s important that we are realistic and we try to get as much information and as much of the details as possible, and then share those once we understand what those could be,” Cabral said. “It’s important to have a public conversation.”
Abigail Pritchard is a graduate student in journalism at Boston University, covering state government for The Light as part of the Boston University Statehouse Program.
This is great coverage of an important story about residents in New Bedford. Please continue to cover it! As the effects of Trump and Musk and MAGA are felt, knowing how our communities are affected will help us know how to try to help each other and how we can oppose such impacts. Thank you.
There shouldn’t have been a second term for Trump. The 14th amendment is clear, if only his handpicked justices served upholding the Constitution and not a demagogue, any one who participates in an insurrection cannot hold any office. How about pursuing that avenue??
Thank you for your great coverage of these issues!
Recently, a TRUMP attorney could not tell a judge how many employees were fired. They fired NUCLEAR ARMS INSPECTORS in ignorance – apparently didn’t know what the employees did. Couldn’t hire them all back because they lacked contact information. They’re firing FAA employees – an agency that was understaffed. disbanded the AVIATION SAFETY COMMITTEE…notice all of the recent plane crashes.
… WaPo reported that Elon Musk called for Federal Aviation Administrator Mike Whitaker to resign right before Trump took office, which lead to his resignation on Trump’s first day. The FAA was about to fine Musk’s company SpaceX $630,000 for violations related to its launches, and Musk threatened to sue the FAA for “regulatory overreach.”
****THEY OPPOSED FUNDING THE FAA*****
180 Republicans Voted Against Funding the FAA, the Agency That Keeps Planes from Crashing
Trump selected eight of them to serve in his administration. Read this exclusive research and reporting on Meidas+.
MeidasTouch Network
Feb 1
They’re SLASHING FUNDING, firing employees & don’t even understand their jobs.
The MAGA GOP is proposing $4.7 TRILLION in TAX CUTS for the WEALTHY that will be funded by cuts to MEDICAID, MEDICARE & SOCIAL SECURITY.
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP is addressed in the Constitution.
The JFK LIBRARY & MUSEUM abruptly closed.
FOOD PROGRAMS have lost funding.
GUANTANAMO, the NATIONAL DISGRACE, was opened without explanation, no costs provided.
From BERNIE SANDERS:
Today, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, millions are earning starvation wages, 85 million are uninsured or under-insured , young people are unable to afford the cost of college, 25% of seniors live on $15,000 a year or less and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on earth. Oh, and by the way, we’re losing the struggle against climate change – an existential threat to the future of the planet.
And here’s the kicker. While Trump moves us away from democracy, while the middle-class continues to decline, the wealthiest people in the country have never ever had it so good. Today, the three major oligarchs, Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg, are worth $905 billion — that is more wealth than the bottom half of American society — 170 million people. And, incredibly, since Trump’s election their wealth has grown by $217 billion.
Healthcare is a human right and must be available to all regardless of income.
Please stay informed & protest to protect one another!
Yes. Trump’s continuing disregard for the laws of OUR country, including assuming powers that are not those of any president of OUR country, must be stopped. That is what I want our state representatives to pursue.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts needs a good shake-down similar to what’s going on in the Federal Govt. This state is bloated with too many employees on the state payroll with massive / early pensions and lifetime benefits, paid for by taxing the private sector who just just can’t achieve this level of benefits. MA is rife with fraud, corruption, and needless over-spending. The legislature won’t cooperate with the Auditor to carry out her voter-mandated audit. What does this tell you about are elected representatives ?
What can you tell us about the Sunset period 2025? They(the Musk Brigade) need 4 trillion dollars which they are trying to steal 2 trillion from Medicaid and other programs that will undoubtedly affect so many people and children who are already struggling to get by. Tax cuts for yachts and private jets? Hmmm, sure, that sounds like a worthy cause. Shameful. Unacceptable. How much money do these rich boys need? And at what cost are they going to get it?? And it sure isn’t going to trickle down to us.
Alienating us from other countries equals disaster. We are supposed to help each other. Where’s the compassion? Unity? Standing alone is not the way, we need to stand together to “stop the steal” of our beloved country.
And remember, they are doing these things in a mad fury. They want us to be overwhelmed, depressed, complacent. Don’t let that happen. Work together.
Stay the course.
As we speak, the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of our Government have totally failed the checks and balances protection they were created to provide. Our so called Democracy is dying! Educating the ill-informed voters is not going to happen quick enough. We could possibly be on the road to being done.
All Democrats and their scare tactics. Buffalo chips.
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