Illegal immigrants continue to flood into Massachusetts, with shelters overflowing and many opting to sleep on the floor at Boston’s Logan Airport. In response to this crisis, Governor Maura Healey has announced a new regulation that will prohibit people from camping out at the airport.
Starting from July 9, according to an announcement from the Governor’s Office on June 28, sleeping overnight at the airport will no longer be permitted. As part of this directive, new “Safe Haven” temporary shelters will be established to support more families in transitioning out of shelters and living independently. Additionally, officials will be dispatched to the southern border of the United States to discourage illegal immigrants from moving to Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is one of the few states in the country that enforces the “Right-to-shelter” law, which mandates the state government to provide housing for homeless families. Since last November, the shelter system in Massachusetts has been consistently at full capacity, accommodating 7500 families. Despite efforts such as leasing hotel rooms and setting up temporary shelters in government buildings to house a large number of refugees, there are still a significant number of refugees resorting to sleeping at Logan Airport.
The new government order specifies that families currently residing at the airport, if they are already on the waiting list for emergency shelter assistance, will be relocated to the newly established “Safe Haven” temporary shelters. Other eligible families will also be transferred to shelter locations as vacancies become available. Airport staff will explain the new policy to families sleeping at the airport and inform them of their options.
“Over the past few months, the government has been working diligently to increase the number of families leaving shelters for more stable housing. Building upon these achievements, we have recently opened a new Safe Haven location in Norfolk and implemented a new 9-month residency limit. Therefore, our current stance is to end the practice of families overnighting at the airport. This is in the best interest of airport families, travelers, and employees as the airport is not a suitable place for seeking shelter,” said Scott Rice, Director of Emergency Assistance in Massachusetts.
The new shelter location mentioned is an abandoned prison in Norfolk, the former Bay State Correctional Facility, which was the lowest-security level prison and closed in 2015. The state government announced in May this year that the facility will be converted into a temporary shelter capable of accommodating approximately 140 families.
On June 25, the Healey administration dispatched a team to the southern border to “establish connections with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Northern Joint Task Force, non-governmental organizations, and immigrant families, informing them that Massachusetts lacks available shelter for accommodation.”
The government has also imposed a 9-month residency restriction on the shelter system and will begin issuing eviction notices to families reaching the residency limit starting in July this year.
Furthermore, on June 12, the Healey administration announced that since last November, the state has facilitated 3,716 immigrant applications for work permits, with the vast majority expected to be approved. Data from the state government reveals that an increasing number of families have been leaving shelters in recent months, with 331 families departing in May alone.
Financial documents show that Massachusetts allocated approximately $826 million for the Emergency Assistance shelter system in the 2024 fiscal year. According to estimations by the Healey administration, if current operations continue, shelter expenses for the 2025 fiscal year could reach $915 million.
Such substantial expenditures have sparked discontent among some residents. On May 4, hundreds protested in front of the Massachusetts State House, demanding the government cease costly policies of accommodating illegal immigrants.