Woke Boston mayor hands out $500 haircut and MASSAGE vouchers to migrants despite city's budget plunging $50m in red

By EMMA RICHTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:44, 15 April 2026 | Updated: 21:50, 15 April 2026 Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is handing out $500 vouchers to migrants so they can enjoy haircuts, massages and other self-care benefits, despite the city's budget plunging nearly $50 million short.  Applicants who are 'low-income, isolated queer and trans migrants, asylum seekers and refugees' are prioritized for the 'wellness allowance.'  The initiative, called 'Boston Matters', was created by OUTnewcomers, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ+ migrants in Boston alongside the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement, Mass Daily News reported.  Applicants get $250 to $500 toward 'non-clinical care' completely funded by the city agency, which is run by the Democrat's administration.  They can participate in activities like meditation, yoga, peer support, creative healing, acupuncture and gym memberships, as detailed in the post.  It comes as the city faces a $48.4 million deficit and teachers are faced with possible staffing cuts due to a $53 million shortfall for Boston Public Schools, according to statistics for this fiscal year.  OUTnewcomers was founded by Sal Khan, a 'queer activist' and drag performer who is also the organization's executive director, according to the group's Facebook page.  The 33-year-old, whose drag queen name is Miss Chilly Masala, also refers to himself as 'angry brown queer,' according to his Instagram.  Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has teamed up with the non-profit OUTnewcomers to offer $250 to $500 vouchers to LGBTQ+ migrants in the city Applicants who are 'low-income, isolated queer and trans migrants, asylum seekers and refugees' are prioritized for the 'wellness allowance' OUTnewcomers was founded by Sal Khan, a 'queer activist' and drag performer who is also the organization's executive director  Khan launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in September 2022 to help him raise money to fight his 'legal challenges,' the page read.  Khan explained that he left his home country of Pakistan in 2019 'to seek freedom and safety in Massachusetts.'  During his time in the state, Khan said he's 'built a life by volunteering with local organizations that support homeless women, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigrant justice.'  But on May 7, 2024, the activist said he 'experienced a major relapse' when he was taken into custody for resisting arrest and trespassing while riding an MBTA bus, and detained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, he wrote.  'Unfortunately, instead of receiving medical help, I was detained for the night at the MBTA transit police station and later on transferred to an I.C.E detention center in Plymouth, Massachusetts for 57 days where I faced further discrimination, mistreatment and dehumanization,' Khan detailed.  During his ICE detainment at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility, Khan said he was 'sent to solitary confinement twice for non-violently advocating for better accommodation, medical care and unrestricted access of communication with my family, friends and lawyer on phones.'  The campaign was started so he could pay for his mounting legal fees, so he could 'fight this case,' Khan wrote.  News of Wu's newest venture comes just weeks after she and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey were both mercilessly booed during a Red Sox home opener game.  Qualifying migrants can participate in activities like meditation, yoga, peer support, creative healing, acupuncture, and gym memberships, the post detailed. (Pictured: Migrants crossing over to the US from Mexico in 2023) The 33-year-old, whose drag queen name is Miss Chilly Masala, also refers to himself as 'angry brown queer' While Wu easily won reelection in 2025 and Healey is expected to cruise to a second term this November, Red Sox fans were not interested in an appearance from the pair before their game against the San Diego Padres on April 3.  The duo stood surrounded by longtime Red Sox legends from their 1986 American League pennant-winning team, who could not stop the 36,233 in attendance from giving them a lengthy boo ahead of Boston's 5-2 win.  While both forced smiles, the pair were clearly uncomfortable facing the wrath of the rowdy opening day crowd. Healey did not publicly react to the moment, but did post multiple tweets celebrating the Red Sox's return to Boston, as well as a proclamation declaring April 3 Red Sox Day in Massachusetts. Both politicians faced controversies early this year, with Healey having dealt with backlash after using thousands of dollars in taxpayers' money to give a payoff to a top aide accused of trafficking cocaine.  Meanwhile, Wu has recently drawn criticism for skipping an annual St. Patrick's Day event just weeks after she attended a Ramadan Night market. News of Wu's newest venture comes just weeks after she and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey were both mercilessly booed during a Red Sox home opener game Wu, 41, was a no-show at the decades-old St. Patrick's Day Breakfast, hosted at the Ironworkers Local 7 Union Hall in South Boston. The breakfast, which Wu attended last year, was a gathering of different politicians from across the state who take turns throwing jabs, jokes and songs at one another. However, Wu, who posted online about a Ramadan Night market at city hall just about two weeks before not attending the St. Patrick's Day event, chose to go to church with her family instead, a spokesperson told the Boston Globe.  The Daily Mail contacted Wu, Khan, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment.  The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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