BOSTON (WWLP) – After declaring a state of emergency, and activating the National Guard, the Healey Administration is calling on the federal government again for help in the migrant crisis.
The migrant crisis is only becoming more of a strain with seemingly no relief in sight. As of Thursday, 6,271 families, made up of over 20,000 people, are staying at emergency shelters. Of those 20,000 people, about one third of that amount are migrants.
A total of 2,592 families are living in hotels and motels across the Commonwealth and this is costing the state $45 million a month.
The letter Governor Healey sent the Biden administration last week is the second one she has sent and also works as follow up from the in-person meeting Governor Healey had with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last month.
In the letter, she asks for changes to the system to obtain work authorizations, so migrants can begin to work and support themselves and their families faster. Healey also points to how expedited work authorizations would also help the state with the “tens of thousands of jobs” Massachusetts has that have gone unfilled.
“We continue to press the Biden Administration and the federal government for action, we need action now. We need action in terms of federal funding, we need action in terms of work authorizations and speeding that up. We need help right now,” said Healey.
The letter also calls on the federal government for additional funding and the need for that funding to be distributed “equitably among states” facing similar situations.
22News asked the Governor Monday if a response had come from the Biden Administration but we have yet to hear back.
Ellen Fleming is a reporter at the Boston State House who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Ellen on X @EllenFlem and view her bio to see more of her work.
