Editorial: Throwing money at migrants foolhardy

The median home price in Boston is $800,000, at last count. For Massachusetts, it’s $616,450, according to BankRate.com. And that’s not factoring in a sky-high 7.56% mortgage rate.

Renting a one-bedroom apartment in the city goes for $3,311, according to Apartments.com. It’s about the same nearby, too.

So offering migrants who qualify $30,000 to help with housing begs the question: Isn’t that reckless disregard for those already struggling to pay the rent or mortgage?

We think it does send the wrong message. It’s just bad policy.

Gov. Maura Healey can blame Congress for the migrant crisis until she turns blue, but a $30,000 housing perk will give Massachusetts more headaches. The right-to-shelter law already has illegal immigrants heading north east. The housing bonus will just accelerate the migration.

As we reported yesterday, HomeBASE can help with a homeless family’s first and last month’s rent, security deposit, and broker’s fee for a new apartment using that $30,000 cushion. Monthly payments can assist with rent up to two years, with the possibility of a third year of help.

Money can also head to furniture, moving expenses, and utilities based on a family’s needs. And the program also supports overdue rent or utility payments.

The program pays a landlord or vendor, like a moving company or utility company, directly instead of handing cash to the family.

The shelter system is maxed out in Massachusetts. The Biden administration is failing miserably at helping stem the tide of illegal immigration and taxpayers are going to be left to pick up the bill for years to come.

Healey’s first job must be defending the taxpayers of Massachusetts. Her ambitions, it seems, get in the way. That’s why having a Democrat, or at least a progressive one, sitting in the Corner Office is only going to end badly — for us.

Healey needs to send a message to border crossers today that Massachusetts is closed for business. We need to take care of our own citizens first.