With the influx of a large number of illegal immigrants into Massachusetts, the local emergency shelter system has been consistently overcrowded. At the end of April, the Massachusetts legislature rejected a bill that would have prioritized shelter for homeless veterans, sparking widespread public discontent.
On May 4th, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Massachusetts State House demanding that the state government cease its costly policy of accommodating illegal immigrants.
During a House meeting on April 26, the “Homeless Veterans Prioritization for Shelter Assistance” bill proposed by minority leader Bradley Jones was defeated. The bill received support from only 2 Democratic lawmakers and all 25 Republican lawmakers, while it was rejected by 129 Democratic lawmakers.
Jones hoped to introduce the bill as an amendment to the 2025 fiscal year budget, calling for the shelter system to prioritize homeless veterans over illegal immigrants.
“It is extremely disappointing that the majority of Democrats are unwilling to support this amendment, unwilling to prioritize homeless veterans who have honorably served our country in the state’s emergency shelter programs,” Jones said in a statement.
Gerard Cassidy, chairman of the Massachusetts House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, referred to Jones’ bill as “a political maneuver that involves veterans.” He stated that the legislature would introduce other bills to address veterans’ welfare.
The decision by the Massachusetts legislature to reject the amendment and the government’s policy of accommodating illegal immigrants at great expense led to a protest titled “Close the Border” on the morning of May 4.
“These (illegal immigrants) are not like immigrants in the past who needed sponsors, needed a means of livelihood, needed to learn English, needed to work, needed to take responsibility for housing before becoming proud Americans,” protester Pete Kuoni said.
Kuoni, a 78-year-old veteran who served in the Vietnam War, mentioned that while illegal immigrants now have free health insurance, he does not have dental insurance because he cannot afford the premiums and does not qualify for free coverage.
The protesters at the rally were emotional, with hundreds chanting slogans like “Close the Border” and “USA.” They displayed banners calling for the closure of the Healey Hotels.
Due to a shortage of shelter beds, the Massachusetts government is currently leasing hotels to accommodate refugees. According to media reports in February of this year, the state government signed 17 hotel contracts for refugee accommodation worth over $116 million in total. Meanwhile, some hotels charge the government for three meals a day, costing $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch, and $31 for dinner per person. This means the state government is paying $64 per refugee for meals each day.
For the past few months, the shelter system has been at full capacity, accommodating 7,500 families. Temporary shelters created from civil or government facilities have hosted hundreds of refugee families. In addition, there is a significant number of refugee families on the waiting list for shelter beds.
Massachusetts has allocated approximately $826 million for the emergency shelter system in the 2024 fiscal year. According to estimates from Governor Maura Healey’s administration, shelter expenses for the 2025 fiscal year could reach $915 million.
“The original intention behind the establishment of shelter programs was good, to help those facing economic challenges, which the state government aimed to address decades ago,” said former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl.
“But the crucial fact is that people are now illegally coming here, and they should not be entitled to these benefits, even Massachusetts residents may not necessarily have access to these when homeless,” he added.
Another protester, 71-year-old Dane Senser, mentioned that during the rally, there were discussions about veterans who have served the nation but are now homeless, which brought tears to his eyes.
“This is shameful, this is not right,” he said emotionally.