Democratic-leaning states have struggled to house large numbers of migrants and have sent officials to the southern border in Texas to warn migrants that shelters are full.
Massachusetts’ Democratic governor, Maura Healey, announced Tuesday that she was sending state officials to the border, citing “record numbers” of migrants coming into Boston.
Officials will work with federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and migrant families to “raise awareness about the shelter shortage in Massachusetts.” Officials will visit airports, migrant shelters, ports of entry and migrant welcoming centers in San Antonio, McAllen, Hidalgo and Brownsville.
Migrants continue to stream into Boston airport, more than 100 sleeping on floors
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey answered reporters’ questions at a press conference in Boston on January 31. (Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
“This visit is an important opportunity to meet with families arriving in the United States and the organizations working with them at the border and to ensure we have accurate information about the shelter shortage in Massachusetts,” Emergency Relief Director Scott Rice said in a statement.
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“It’s essential that people know that shelters are full and that plans are in place to ensure families have a safe place to evacuate,” he said.
Governor Healey first declared a state of emergency in early August and has since activated the National Guard to help, and recently implemented a nine-month limit on the length of stay in emergency shelters.
Massachusetts closes community center as migrant shelter, sparks backlash
Workers walk through the Melnea A. Cass Recreation Complex in Boston on Jan. 31, where 300 Army cots have been set up to house migrants. (John Trumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
But it’s one of several areas across the U.S. struggling with an influx of migrants streaming in and being released from the southern border — more than 2.4 million encountered in fiscal year 2023. Some migrants make their way to their destinations on their own, while others are transported by bus from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who began bussing migrants to sanctuary cities in 2022.
Many Democratic-run states and cities are struggling to keep up with the growing number of migrants, and several mayors have called on the Biden administration to provide more federal funding and speed up work authorization to help immigrants get jobs faster and reduce their reliance on social services.
Healey has previously touted the province’s more welcoming stance despite increased pressure on the province.
“Many of these families are immigrants to Massachusetts, and they came here because we are beacons to those in need and do so proudly,” Healey wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last year.
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Recently, more than 100 migrants were seen sleeping on the floor at Boston’s Logan International Airport, where the airport was being used as a makeshift shelter after reaching capacity.
Healey’s office said in a statement that it was prioritizing work permits, job training, English classes and rehousing assistance, and that it had helped 3,785 immigrants apply for work permits and enrolled more than 1,100 in English classes.
