Illegal immigrants continue to pour into Massachusetts, leading to a prolonged overflow of the state’s emergency shelter system. Currently, the Massachusetts government is preparing to repurpose a vacant prison in Norfolk to serve as a temporary shelter for homeless families, including undocumented immigrants found sleeping at Logan Airport in Boston.
The Bay State Correctional Facility, located in Norfolk, was once the lowest-security prison and was shut down in 2015.
Scott Rice, the director of emergency assistance in Massachusetts, stated that the facility is still in “good condition.” After renovation, it can accommodate around 140 families, or up to 450 individuals. The facility includes bedrooms, a cafeteria, and a gym.
Rice also mentioned in a statement that the site will have a children’s play area and adult classroom space for activities aimed at fostering independent living skills, such as English classes, job training sessions, and housing search workshops.
During the renovation process, the razor wire on the prison fences will be removed, and the gates will remain open to allow residents to come and go freely.
The Norfolk town government announced that they learned about the temporary shelter on May 10 and received a briefing from Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll the next day. The town expects the shelter to operate for 6 to 12 months.
However, the Norfolk town government stated, “The town government had no role in this decision and was not consulted beforehand.” Town officials will meet with police, fire departments, and school leaders to discuss the “many logistical challenges” resulting from the influx of refugee families.
Councilman Jim Lehan of Norfolk told the media that since the news broke, his phone has not stopped ringing with questions from residents, many of which he does not have answers to.
“All we know is that people will be coming here, and we are faced with issues related to it. We will have to work hard to address this,” he said.
He also added, “Any influx, a large number of people coming into our schools, will be a significant issue for us. We don’t have the space.”
Since November of last year, Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system has been at full capacity with 7,500 families. Many refugee families who couldn’t secure a bed have had to sleep at the airport. As a result, the state government has set up numerous “safety net” temporary shelters, including the recently utilized Old Chelsea Soldiers Home and the Lexington National Guard Armory.
The state government has also imposed residency limits for families who secure beds, requiring them to participate in activities beneficial to independent living, such as applying for work permits, undergoing training, seeking employment, learning English, and finding housing before extending their shelter residency time.