In an effort to address the escalating illegal immigrant crisis in Massachusetts, Governor Maura Healey (D) has announced the deployment of 250 National Guard troops.
These troops are tasked with providing essential services at emergency shelters and hotels, as stated in a press release on Thursday.
Governor Healey expressed the urgency of the situation, stating, 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.
She further acknowledged the crucial role of the National Guard in this crisis, stating, "Were grateful to the brave men and women of the National Guard for stepping up to help us ensure that every family in emergency shelter has their needs met, including access to food, transportation, medical care, and education."
The Governor also highlighted the temporary nature of this measure, emphasizing the need for a more permanent solution. "While we work to implement a more permanent staffing solution, the National Guard will provide an efficient and effective means of delivering these services and keeping everybody safe, she added.
Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll echoed these sentiments in the press release, stating, "This National Guard activation is a necessary step to ensure that families in emergency shelters have access to the services they need to stay safe and healthy."
She also underscored the need for federal assistance, stating, This is an emergency measure that will help us meet immediate needs while we continue to advocate for assistance from the federal government in the form of streamlined work authorizations and funding.
The state of emergency was declared by Governor Healey on August 8, in response to the state's dwindling capacity in its family shelter system. The Governor revealed that "There are currently nearly 5,600 families or more than 20,000 individuals in state shelter, including children and pregnant women."
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, Governor Healey attributed the crisis to several factors, including federal immigration policy. "This state of emergency arises from numerous factors, among them federal policies on immigration and work authorization, inadequate production of affordable housing over the last decade, and the end of COVID-era food and housing security programs," she wrote. "The need for action is urgent."
During the press conference, Lt. Governor Driscoll called on residents to consider housing illegal immigrant families. "This is not a crisis that our family shelter system was designed to handle. For months now, the state government and our providers have been doing the work of stretching the system as far as it can safely go. But we really need to bring more people into this work to make it a true team effort."
This is not the first time the National Guard has been deployed in Massachusetts in relation to the immigration crisis. In September last year, troops were sent to Marthas Vineyard following a decision by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to send a flight of illegal immigrants to the Cape Cod vacation island.
Former Governor Charlie Baker stated that the National Guard would assist in relocating the illegal immigrants to a military base on Cape Cod.
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