With the surge of illegal immigrants coming in, Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system has long been overwhelmed. Governor Maura Healey has announced a new policy that will restrict the length of stay in shelters starting from July, targeting refugee families who have been residing in shelters for an extended period.
In late April this year, Healey signed a bill stipulating that refugee families can stay in emergency shelters for a maximum of 9 months, with the possibility of extension in certain circumstances.
On June 12th, Healey disclosed that around 150 refugee families will receive notices regarding the time limit for their stay in July. These multilingual notices will inform these families that they must leave the shelter within 90 days, by September or earlier. The notices will also outline the qualifications and procedures for applying for two 90-day extensions.
Criteria for applying for an extension include actively seeking employment, ensuring continuity of education for children by avoiding interruptions in public school attendance, individuals who are pregnant or have recently given birth, those diagnosed with disabilities or “documented health conditions,” individuals at imminent risk of harm due to domestic violence, and veterans who have not yet engaged in services tailored specifically for them. However, families unable to apply for an extension can still reapply for emergency assistance services.
“This policy is a responsible approach to address the capacity and fiscal constraints of our state’s emergency assistance system,” said Healey.
The emergency family shelter system in Massachusetts reached its limit of 7,500 families in November last year. At that time, Healey announced that approximately half of the shelter residents were long-time residents of Massachusetts, while the other half were new immigrants.
Since then, there have been hundreds of families on the waiting list for shelter beds. Additionally, refugees have been sleeping on the floor inside the Logan Airport terminal in Boston for an extended period.
Healey stated that since November last year, the state government has assisted 3,716 immigrants in applying for work permits, with the vast majority expected to be approved. State government data shows that in recent months, more and more families have been moving out of shelters, with 331 families leaving in just May.
To accommodate a large number of refugees, Massachusetts has not only opened existing shelter facilities but has also leased hotel rooms and established temporary shelter points within government buildings. In the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2024, the state government allocated approximately $826 million to the shelter system. Healey estimated that the shelter system may require $915 million in the 2025 fiscal year.