Gov. Healey Says No Shelter Guarantee in ‘Right to Shelter’ Massachusetts Amid Immigrant Flood

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey in a file photograph. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has categorically warned on Monday that the state will not be able to guarantee shelter to new immigrants after the end of the month as the state does not have enough space or service providers or funds to safely expand beyond 7,500 families, or approximately 24,000 individuals.

In a statement, the governor’s office said that, “Beginning November 1, 2023, the state will no longer be able to add new shelter units. At this time, families seeking shelter will be assessed and those with high needs, such as health and safety risks, will be prioritized for placement. Families who are not immediately connected with shelter will be placed on a waiting list,” it added.

Massachusetts is a state that voted in favor of the “Right to Shelter” open border policy, so it has to guarantee homeless families access to emergency shelter. However, the state has been experiencing a major immigrant problem that includes both legal and illegal immigrants.

On Oct. 8, Gov. Healey declared that a state of emergency exists in Massachusetts due to rapidly rising numbers of immigrant families arriving in Massachusetts in need of shelter and services, and a severe lack of shelter availability in the state.

As of Oct. 16, there are nearly 7,000 families with children as well as pregnant women in emergency shelter, including newly arrived immigrant families and longtime Massachusetts residents. “About half of the individuals in emergency shelter are children,” she added.

On Monday, Gov. Healey acknowledged the challenge facing the state’s shelter system, which is nearing capacity.

New Appointments 

The Massachusetts governor has now outlined the state’s strategy to address the “next phase of the emergency shelter system.”

Gov. Healey announced the appointment of Lt. Gen. Leon Scott Rice as Emergency Assistance Director who will prioritize helping families who have been in long-term shelter to exit into more permanent housing options.

The governor said that Mr. Rice specializes in leading large-scale emergency management operations, and will be able to lead the state through this new phase with its emergency shelter system.

In this role, Mr. Rice will oversee management and coordination of the emergency shelter system, including leading the administration’s Incident Command Team, which was launched in May and includes representatives from multiple state agencies. He will be responsible for implementing this new phase of the emergency shelter system, coordinating directly with local, state, and federal officials and other key stakeholders, and updating the governor and lieutenant governor on daily developments, according to Gov. Healey’s office.

Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice, Director of the Air National Guard, visits members of the 158th fighter wing, Vermont Air National Guard, in South Burlington, Vt., on Oct. 19, 2019. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Morgan Whitehouse

Mr. Rice has more than 40 years of experience with the United States Air Force and Air National Guard, retiring as a Lt. Gen. and disabled veteran in 2020.

He was the director of the Air National Guard from 2016-2020, managing a $11.5 billion budget and more than 100,000 personnel located in every U.S. state and territory. He also served as the Adjutant General (TAG) of the Massachusetts National Guard from 2012-2016, across two gubernatorial administrations. In this role, he led emergency response and post-disaster recovery efforts for Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Irene, the Boston Marathon Bombing, as well as recovery from ice storms.

Gov. Healey said the state will help families exit shelter and move into more permanent housing options, and will also help with work opportunities to eligible individuals.

Rehousing, Rental Assistance

The announcement has also stated that families who have been in shelter long-term—over 15 months—will be prioritized to exit the shelter system, which is intended to be a short-term, emergency option, according to the government’s statement.

During this transition, the Healey administration will support with rehousing and rental assistance initiatives, such as HomeBASE, to support these transitions. The HomeBASE program helps eligible homeless families pay their first/last month’s rent and security deposits, moving expenses, stipends to help with ongoing housing costs, and other costs that can help families stabilize an existing housing situation or stably rehouse. The state has also urged the federal government, faith-based organizations, and other non-government organizations to help support the rapid increase in homeless families under the state’s “Right to Shelter” policy.

The state said that other services will still be provided for families seeking emergency shelter, including at the Family Welcome Centers, and that families will be assessed for basic needs and offered the opportunity to apply for public benefits through the Department of Transitional Assistance, receive necessities including diapers, hygiene products, and formula, and be referred to community-based resources.

Entering the Job Market

The administration has also launched two new programs to get those in shelters into local jobs.

The first is a partnership with Commonwealth Corporation Foundation to develop a new job skills training program to connect businesses to individuals in shelter who are still waiting for their work authorization but looking to gain on-the-job training and skills development. This new program is beginning as a pilot starting with Salem but with an interest in building business partnerships in other communities over time, as per the Monday announcement.

The second program connects MassHire Regional Workforce Boards and careers centers to shelters statewide, with the goal of assessing skills and work readiness of residents who have their work authorization. The initial phase of this new program is focused on 14 shelter sites across the state, representing approximately 1,500 families.

Federal Engagement 

The announcement from the governor’s office also said the administration will use every tool at its disposal to request more federal assistance to the federal problem.

Gov. Healey said she has made multiple requests to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for federal funding and improvements to the work authorization process. She was joined by others, like the attorney general, the state Legislature, the Massachusetts Business Association, the Boston Archdiocese, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.

In her video briefing, Gov. Healey also said that “families are coming in through the federal system, and the federal government must step up to support them.” Her administration also said that officials from the Department of Homeland Security came to Massachusetts to view the situation on the ground last week but the state wants to see this visit to “lead to action.”

Gov. Healey has urged the Biden administration to provide assistance to her state to deal with the uptick in new immigrant families, saying, “I’m hopeful that they will result in action soon for our state. But in the meantime, we can’t wait.”

Ongoing Immigration Crisis

Gov. Healey joins the bandwagon of impacted state leaders like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who warned Congress this month that the “country’s border is too open right now,” while calling for limits to “who can come across the border.”

Gov. Hochul’s comment was made on the back of New York’s ongoing struggle with an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants. As of Oct 2, the reported number of unscreened immigrants in New York over the past year surpassed 110,000, with around 60,000 living in the city’s shelter system, costing taxpayers billions of dollars per year.