In a concerning turn of events, military families who had made hotel reservations in Foxboro, Massachusetts for the upcoming Army-Navy Game are now facing cancellations. These cancellations are believed to be a result of the Biden administration’s decision to house migrants in hotels across the country. Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa has demanded action from President Biden, expressing her frustration over the displacement of military families due to the administration’s failure to secure the southern border.
The state of Massachusetts has a “right to shelter” law, which ensures that migrants and homeless families have access to housing. While this law serves as a safety net for those in need, the recent influx of migrants has caused a strain on resources and left military families without accommodations for the highly anticipated Army-Navy Game.
Mark Mansbach, the owner of Hillsdale Travel, a New Jersey-based travel agency that specializes in providing accommodations for military members and their families, expressed his shock at the unprecedented cancelations. Mansbach, who has been serving military families for two decades, has never encountered such a situation before. He revealed that 60 combined rooms from various hotels were canceled, leaving military families scrambling to find alternative lodging options.
Senator Ernst, in her letter to President Biden, emphasized the importance of the Army-Navy Game as not only a recruitment mechanism but also an opportunity to honor and showcase America’s finest servicemembers. She called out the administration’s mismanagement at the border, highlighting the strain it has placed on American cities and vital resources. Ernst urged President Biden to take the obligation to secure the border seriously to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has announced the expansion of legal services for illegal migrants living in emergency shelters, further exacerbating the strain on resources. Last month, she expressed her concern over the canceled hotel reservations and promised to assist displaced veterans.
Senator Ernst’s push for tighter border security aligns with the efforts of GOP lawmakers who are urging Democrats to include higher standards for asylum seekers in Biden’s national security supplemental request for aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. However, sources familiar with the negotiations suggest that Democrat lawmakers are not interested in policy changes.
As the situation unfolds, military families and veterans are left disappointed and searching for alternative accommodations for the Army-Navy Game. The cancellation of hotel reservations has raised concerns about the prioritization of resources, with citizens feeling like they are not being given priority over illegal immigrants.
The impact of the Biden administration’s border crisis is being felt across the country, with American cities being overrun and resources stretched beyond capacity. The urgency to address border security issues remains a pressing matter, as the well-being and support of military families and veterans are at stake.
Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the matter, but no response has been received at the time of writing.
(This article was written by Jamie Joseph, a writer covering politics, and was first published on Digital.)
