Shelters Will Hit Capacity This Month Due To Migrant Crisis

Topline

Massachusetts is going to run out of space to house migrants seeking shelter in the state, Democratic Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday, becoming the latest in a string of Democratic-run states to struggle to keep up with the influx of migrants crossing the southern border.

New limitations in Massachusetts were prompted by limited shelter placement for migrant families, … [+] Gov. Maura Healey said Monday.

AP/Steve LeBlanc

Key Facts

Healey announced the policy change to how the state has been handling the arrival of migrants, saying the state can no longer guarantee shelter placement for all.

Once 7,500 families are being sheltered, the state will stop adding additional shelter units for migrants—which are used for both migrants and people experiencing homelessness—as there are neither enough units nor funding to expand the state’s capacity.

Healey called on the federal government for assistance, saying it “bears ultimate responsibility for this situation,” adding that the state is sheltering more than twice the number of families today than it was last year.

Healey appointed Lt. Gen. Leon Scott Rice, a former Massachusetts National Guard leader, to oversee the state’s response in the coming months.

Healey said the state will work to help migrants secure jobs so they can more quickly move out of state shelters and open up space for others.

Tangent

Several other Democratic-led areas are facing similar challenges. Some 110,000 migrants have come to New York City in the past year, causing Mayor Eric Adams to say the city would be “destroyed” if the influx of migrants to the city continues. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.), like Healey, has put public pressure on the federal government to help resolve the issue, saying the problem originated with the federal government and “must be resolved through the federal government.” The influx of migrants in Chicago has forced parks and police stations to be converted into makeshift shelters. Many of these officials have called on the Biden Administration to fast-track work permits for migrants.

News Peg

The new limit, which will be implemented November 1, was prompted by the state’s emergency shelter system being overwhelmed with the ongoing influx of migrants, Healey said. The U.S. has seen an influx of migrants at the southern border seeking asylum from South America and Haiti who are fleeing violence and economic unrest in their home countries.

Crucial Quote

“The reality now is this: We do not have enough space, service providers or funds to safely expand beyond 7,500 families; we expect to hit that limit at the end of the month,” Healey said Monday.

Surprising Fact

More than half of those arriving in Massachusetts are children, Healey said at the press conference.

Big Number

6,945. That’s how many families are in the state’s shelter system as of Friday, according to the state’s Emergency Assistance Placement Data. Nearly half of those families (3,225) are staying in state-subsidized motels or hotels, state data shows.

Key Background

In August, Healey declared a state of emergency because of the sudden influx of migrants looking for shelter in Massachusetts, citing an 80% increase in families coming to the state. At the time, Healey asked the federal government for assistance in providing services and housing to migrants coming to the state. Since then she’s again called on Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to help the state. In mid-September, Healey sent the state legislature a proposal to add $250 million in one-time funds to the shelter system but the legislature has yet to approve that request. Healey has also deployed some 250 National Guard members to 40 hotels and motels across the state to help families with medical, food and transportation needs, according to the Boston Globe.

Contra

In September, the Biden Administration granted Temporary Protected Status to nearly half a million Venezuelans who arrived in the country as of July 31—making it easier for them to work within the U.S. About 40% of those housed in New York City are asylum seekers from Venezuela, according to PBS News. The Biden Administration has said it will quicken the work authorization process for migrants—a common request from Democratic leaders. But accelerated worker permits do not currently apply to those who cross the border illegally or those who seek asylum, who have to wait six months for work permits.

What We Don’t Know

It’s unclear what will happen to the families who do not receive rooms in existing shelters in Massachusetts. It also remains unclear how Healey’s announcement will be affected by the state’s 1983 “right-to-shelter” law that requires the state to provide immediate housing to qualified families.