A Massachusetts mayor has urged state lawmakers to call time on ‘right to shelter’ laws that were passed as migrants begin flooding the state.
Mayor of Woburn Scott Galvin, a Democrat, has been sounding the alarm in the Massachusetts town which has been struggling with the migrant crisis.
In a report from the New York Times, it was reported that the small town of 40,000 people had helped some 80 migrant families.
The families had been placed in hotels in Woburn last month, with a group of locals stepping up to help those housed there.
The state of Massachusetts has a unique ‘right-to-shelter law’ which allows any family with a child a place to stay.
Mayor of Woburn Scott Galvin, pictured here, has called time on a state law that allows any family with a child a place to stay
The state of Massachusetts has a unique ‘right-to-shelter law’ which allows any family with a child a place to stay
Galvin is now calling for changes to the law, saying that the legislation was passed at ‘a different time’ and wasn’t intended to cover a migrant crisis.
Speaking to the New York Times, Galvin said that the situation was not sustainable, and called for state legislators to consider changes to the right-to-shelter law.
In an interview, Galvin said: ‘We’re going above and beyond, while some communities around us are not being impacted, and we don’t have endless capacity in our schools.
‘The benefits that are bestowed on migrants make the state a very attractive destination, and without some changes, this challenge is not going to abate.’
The Times reported that the ‘rapid influx has stressed local social service agencies and volunteer resources’.
Outside of Woburn, over 80 cities and towns in the state have started welcoming migrants but space and costs are causing worry.
As of last week, there were currently about 6,000 families, including pregnant women and children, in emergency shelters in Massachusetts.
Late last month, Democratic Governor Maura Healey activated up to 250 members of the Massachusetts National Guard to assist at shelters and hotels.
Healy said in a statement: ‘Massachusetts is in a state of emergency, and we need all hands-on deck to meet this moment and ensure families have access to safe shelter and basic services.’
The city of Boston recently received a $1.9 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help migrants with shelter and transportation.
There are more than 20,000 people, many of them migrants, in state shelters after having arrived by plane from other states.
It comes as New York City continues to deal with the migrant crisis that is overwhelming the Big Apple.
Upwards of 110,000 migrants are littered across the New York area, with most arriving in the last 18 months from the southern border.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has warned the issue could cost taxpayers $12million and destroy the city.
Streets in Manhattan have become overrun with migrants hoping for space in one of New York City’s sanctuary hotels, pictured outside the once-iconic Roosevelt Hotel in August
Upwards of 110,000 migrants are littered across the New York area and Mayor Eric Adams’ office has estimated the issue will cost New York City $12billion over three years
There are now nearly 60,000 migrants in the city’s care, with about 21,000 new migrant children starting school this year.
Many of the migrants are being house in hotels and shelters throughout the city.
That has led to scenes of migrants sleeping for days outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan as they tried to get inside the at-capacity hotel.
In other parts of town, protests have been held as migrants are held in schools with students returning to the classroom.
As the school year kicked off on Thursday, some schools were forced to turn away students as the classrooms overflowed.
The city is currently paying about $385 a night per migrant family that needs housing and feeding.
According to Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, asylum seekers are costing the city roughly $10 million every day.
The crisis at the border was escalated in April with the expiration of Title 42, a pandemic-era immigration policy – leading to over 10,000 undocumented arrivals every day for several days
New York City’s migrant crisis is expected to cost the city $4.7billion this year. Above is a list of some of the landmarks that have been turned into emergency shelters as officials struggle to house nearly 60,000 migrants in the city’s care
There have been a flood of migrants arriving at the southern border under Biden’s administration, including a spike when Title 42 ended.
As Title 42 ended, migrants crossing hit a record 10,000 a day at the border with Mexico.
That crushed services and overwhelmed border towns, leading to some states to bus migrants to northern, liberal-led cities.
