By The newspaper
Maura Healey, governor of Massachusetts, sent state officials to the southern border of Texas and Mexico to give a message to newly arrived migrant families, telling them that the shelters are completely full, in case their plans included arriving in Boston. .
Governor Healey’s office said in a statement that the central goal is for state personnel to establish connections with US Customs and Border Protection, as part of their strategy to deal with the overload facing the been through the emergency shelter system since last year.
The most common entry points for families moving to Massachusetts are San Antonio, McAllen, Hidalgo and Brownsville, Texas, according to information cited by Boston University radio station WBUR.
“Our shelters are full”
They plan to tell families: “Our shelters are full,” according to the statement from Massachusetts Emergency Assistance Director General Scott Rice.
“This trip is an important opportunity to meet with families arriving in the United States and the organizations working with them at the border to ensure they have accurate information about the lack of shelter space in Massachusetts,” Rice said.
In August 2023, Healey declared a state of emergency due to the lack of immigration shelters. The Democrat then implemented a limit of 7,500 families living in shelters in the state system, according to EFE data.
Gov. Healey’s office said the number of families exiting the shelter system “has steadily increased each month, with more than 331 families exiting in May, the highest number in years.”
Migrants look for a safe place
Officials have reported that the state’s emergency shelter system is at full capacity, but that record numbers of migrants continue to arrive in Boston.
“It is essential that we spread the word that our shelters are full so that families can plan accordingly and ensure they have a safe place to go,” Rice said in the document.
Migrants can stay 9 months in shelters
The delegation is led by Scott Rice, the deputy director and executive director of the MA Office of Refugees and Immigrants and the strategy manager of the Housing Stabilization Division.
The legislature approved a new 9-month limit on how long migrants can stay in emergency shelters. The first families could be forced to leave on September 29, WCVB5 News reported.
Massachusetts has helped 3,785 immigrants apply for work authorizations and has enrolled 1,120 in English courses since November.
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