LYNN — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton joined Mayor Jared C. Nicholson for a bilingual community forum at the North Shore Adult Day Health Center on Monday to address growing concerns about health care access and immigration enforcement in the city.
Moulton and Nicholson held a forum with a translator, Javier Marques, who is the program director at the North Shore Adult Day Health Center, pledging to protect health care benefits and stand up for immigrant communities.
“We work for you. That’s the way this works,” said Moulton, who acknowledged the language barrier between himself and many Spanish-speaking attendees. “Every single day, our teams are working to answer your questions and help you navigate these challenges.”
Citing a recent bill supported by House Republicans, H.R. 1 – 119th Congress (2025-2026): One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Moulton warned that millions of Americans could lose access to health care.
“It’s a ‘big, beautiful bill’ if you’re a billionaire,” he said, “but it takes Medicaid away from 10 million Americans to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.”
He said Democrats are fighting the legislation and urged residents to vote in upcoming elections to protect health care coverage.
Nicholson reiterated that local resources, such as the Lynn Community Health Center and various nonprofit organizations, are available to support residents in the interim.
The officials also discussed immigration, condemning the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive deportation policies.
“The mayor and I are working to ensure that ICE follows the law,” Moulton said. “We want our community to feel safe and know their rights.”
Several attendees shared personal concerns, including whether expired green cards could put individuals at risk of deportation.
Nicholson declined to give specific legal advice but recommended consulting trusted immigration attorneys or advocacy organizations.
Audience members also voiced anxiety over losing Medicaid coverage, especially those with chronic illnesses or family members with disabilities. One woman shared that her 42-year-old son, who relies on Medicaid, may lose access to care.
“The reality is, we don’t yet know exactly who will be impacted,” Moulton said. “But we are here to help if that happens.”
Another resident thanked the officials for their advocacy. “These programs are very important,” she said in Spanish. Both leaders closed the event by reaffirming their commitment to the community.
“This is an amazing group of Americans and immigrants who represent our values,” Moulton said. “We are proud of what you contribute to our city and our country.”
“We’re in this together,” Nicholson added. “We will do everything we can to support you.”
