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Massachusetts governor now wants to confine illegals to crime-ridden migrant shelters


Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is tightening her approach to the state’s migrant crisis amid growing security concerns and just days before. President-elect Trump take the oath of office

Healey, a Democrat, is proposing sweeping changes to how the state houses migrants by proposing that all families staying in emergency shelters be in the country legally, with rare exceptions. The measure would effectively prevent new migrants from staying in state shelters.

The change, which comes after an overhaul of the state’s right-to-housing law, would require all asylum seekers to prove they are a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or who are here “under the color of the law.” Exceptions are made for households that include children who are US citizens or lawful permanent residents.

Maura Healey

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is tightening her approach to the state’s migrant crisis amid growing security concerns and just days before President-elect Trump takes office. (Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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The governor is also looking to strengthen background checks for anyone staying at a shelter by requiring them to disclose criminal convictions in the state and elsewhere.

His proposal would require applicants to verify their identity, residency and immigration status before being housed. Currently, asylum seekers can be accommodated before providing any documentation.

It would also limit those who qualified for evictions to the state, not anywhere in the country. For example, this would eliminate a scenario where a migrant is evicted in another state and then arrives in Massachusetts and gets housing benefit.

“I believe these changes are appropriate and necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state’s foster care system in a way that aligns with the original intent of the law,” Healey said in a statement. “Furthermore, these proposed changes will allow us to continue to ensure the safety of our system, support cities and towns to address the needs of homeless families in their communities, and put us on the path to a system of more fiscally sustainable reception”.

Migrants at Logan Airport packing

Migrants were even sleeping on the floors of Boston’s Logan International Airport as the reception system became overwhelmed. (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe, left, Joseph Prezioso, top right, David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe, bottom right.)

The moves come amid security concerns at the state’s shelters and several crimes involving illegal migrants in the state. State records show there have been hundreds of serious incidents at the shelters, including rapes.

Last month, an illegal immigrant was allegedly caught with an AR-15 and $1 million worth of fentanyl in a state-subsidized hotel room. An illegal immigrant from El Salvador was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a child while Immigration and Customs Enforcement had seen a Recent increase in illegal immigrants arrested for sex crimes in the Boston area and throughout Massachusetts.

Healey said in November that his state police “will not cooperate at all” with the incoming Trump administration’s expected mass deportation effort, warning that he will use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect ” blue state residents.

Healey’s new proposals for after a review of the state’s right to asylum law, “continued inaction by Congress and without assistance from the federal government.”

The proposals must be approved by the legislature and Healey outlined his recommendations in a letter to the Senate President, the Speaker, and the Senate and House Ways and Means Chairs and asking that the changes be in the supplemental emergency assistance (EA) budget.

Wu and Healey

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey visit the Melnea A. Cass Recreation Complex, which was used to house more than 300 migrants. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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He recently announced that the administration will phase out the use of hotels and motels as shelters by the end of 2025.

40 years ago, Massachusetts adopted its right to shelter law, which was designed to provide housing for families in need, specifically pregnant women and homeless children.

In recent years, migrants have sought refuge under this law that has overwhelmed their reception system. Last year, Healey declared a state of emergency to the state because of the increase and called for federal action. He also acknowledged that state policies can be an attraction for migrants.

Migrants were even sleeping on the floors of Boston’s Logan International Airport as the reception system became overwhelmed.

About 50,000 migrants have arrived in the state since 2021, it said. July report of the Center for Studies on Immigration.

Democratic House Speaker Ronald Mariano said the new proposal is in line with what lawmakers have been trying to do.

“Since the beginning of the crisis in the shelter system, the House has consistently led the effort to ensure that the Commonwealth’s emergency assistance program could remain economically viable over the long term, leading to reforms that limited the maximum length of stay and required work training for people in the shelter system,” he said in a statement, per the Associated Press.

Migrant shelter overflow

A security worker walks the perimeter of the main seating area at a state emergency migrant shelter at the Melnea A. Cass Recreation Complex. (Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr also welcomed the proposal.

“With the growing consensus not just on Beacon Hill, but across the Commonwealth, that major changes are urgently needed, we have an opportunity to finally take action that will make the system safer, more accountable and transparent, and more sustainable,” the Senate said. Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said in a statement.

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The Massachusetts Republican Party in August accused Healey of quietly spending more than $1 billion on the state’s migrant crisis.

“The Healey-Driscoll administration has surrounded nearly $1 billion spent in secret, out of Massachusetts residents in the dark,” Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale said in a statement at the time.

“They have withheld critical information about 600 incidents involving police, fire and EMTs. By blocking reporters at every turn, the administration has obstructed the flow of information to the public.”



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