(ProsperNews.net) – Boston residents are furious about plans to house illegal migrants in a former veterans’ shelter. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey recently announced that the Chelsea Soldiers’ Home would undergo conversion and accommodate up to 100 migrant families. The facility was vacant and due for demolition. In December last year, migrants residing there for $30 per day were transferred to a new establishment.
The soldier’s home renovation is an attempt to tackle Massachusetts’ growing migrant crisis and free up homeless shelters. In addition to renovating Chelsea Soldier’s Home, Healey’s administration announced a new certification process whereby migrants would need to prove they are taking steps to leave shelters and locate permanent homes. Shelter staff will help immigrants participate in government programs aimed at securing their independence.
Emergency Assistance Director Scott Rice said the program is a “responsible step” toward addressing “capacity constraints.”
Nevertheless, many residents are enraged at the prospect of housing migrants for free while veterans must pay. One woman called the arrangement “disgusting,” while Boston resident George Belmonte asked, “How about taking care of the homeless vets first?”
Governor Healey declared a state of emergency in the Bay State last August, and since then, data shows the number of migrants arriving has not slowed. Almost 20,000 immigrants are accommodated in state-run shelters – an 80% increase from 2022. Healey said the figures were higher than the state had ever had to deal with, and like other Governors across the nation, she called on the federal government to do more.
Specifically, Governor Healy asked the Biden administration to expedite work permits so migrants can achieve independence. Dr. Geralde Gabeau, who works with the Immigrant Family Services Institute, agreed with the Governor and said, “They are ready to work. They are ready to contribute to our economies.”
However, Paul Diego Craney of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance condemned Healey and said she should end the right-to-shelter policy enacted in 1983. It obliges the state to provide housing to families in need.
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