GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy reacts on ‘The Ingraham Angle’ after Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey declares emergency. As Massachusetts housing facilities brace for maxed-out capacity as early as this week, the governor of the “right-to-shelter” state is suggesting there are “a lot” of other places in the U.S. migrants should be sent.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy announced this week that there are 40 to 50 new migrant families arriving in the state every day and seeking state assistance with housing. The influx of people, many without lawful presence in the U.S., has pushed the state’s shelter system close to its 7,500-family limit. Massachusetts is the only state in the country with a statewide right-to-shelter law, signed into law in 1983.
Governor Healy, a Democrat, expressed concern that the crisis could lead to homeless people sleeping at Boston’s Logan Airport or in emergency rooms. She suggested that other states should consider accepting migrants, emphasizing that there are numerous places in the country where people can go once they cross into the United States.
According to the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, as of Monday, there were 7,439 families in the emergency shelter system. Out of these, 3,729 were in hotels and motels, 3,648 were at traditional sites, and 62 were in temporary shelters like Joint Base Cape Cod. To manage the situation, the Healy administration plans to increase the number of National Guard troops available to work unstaffed shelter sites across the state to 375.
In response to the overwhelming number of migrants, nonprofit United Way of Massachusetts Bay has announced that it will take $5 million in federal funds from the Healy administration to set up overnight shelter sites for families and pregnant women with no alternative options.
Republican state lawmaker Peter Durant has introduced an amendment that would require anyone who receives benefits from the “right-to-shelter” law to be a legal resident for a minimum of three years. However, the bill has yet to advance in the legislature.
Massachusetts towns are facing hardships as they struggle to accommodate the indiscriminate numbers of migrants being placed in their state. The situation has prompted discussions about the need to change the state’s “right-to-shelter” law to prevent overwhelming the system.
“In an ideal world, our shelter system can do just what it has done – flex to accommodate a wave of people seeking shelter – but the reality is our state cannot meet the current demand,” said Bob Giannino, president and CEO at United Way. Emergency Assistance Director General Scott Rice emphasized that Massachusetts is in a new phase of managing its emergency shelter system and is taking all possible measures to ensure the safety and well-being of families.
This article highlights the current crisis faced by Massachusetts as its shelter system struggles to cope with the increasing number of migrant families seeking assistance. The state’s unique “right-to-shelter” law, signed into law in 1983, entitles migrant families to taxpayer-funded emergency shelter. Governor Healy has expressed concern about the strain on the system and suggested that other states should consider accepting migrants. The article also mentions the efforts being made by the United Way and the proposed amendment by Republican lawmaker Peter Durant.
