Massachusetts Governor Urges Residents to Offer Shelter to Illegal Aliens in Their Guest Rooms

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, is encouraging residents to provide shelter to illegal aliens in their guest rooms.

The “host family strategy,” introduced to address the escalating homeless population in the state, specifically targets those who are not citizens.

According to WBUR, “The state’s new Family Welcome Center in Allston is tasked with recruiting, vetting and onboarding host families, as well as pairing them with the families in need.”

“This has previously been a practice among Resettlement Agencies and other volunteers who work to support new arrivals,” said Karissa Hand, press secretary for the Healey administration, in a statement. 

The center began operating in late June, and the exact number of illegals already placed in households remains unclear. The report highlights that the state has not explained the vetting process for hosts, nor the illegal aliens.

“The addition of this layer — of adding in host homes — really seems to be because of the urgency and current unmet needs,” said Kelly Turley, associate director of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, according to WBUR. “This is something that they could get online very quickly if host families and hosts come forward.”

“We know that longer-term shelter and permanent housing would better meet the stability, safety, and service needs of newly arrived immigrants,” Turley said.

In November, former Governor Charlie Baker expressed concerns that the “inability” (refusal) of Washington DC to curb the influx of migrants into the US could result in a $139 million cost for his state.

“Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system provides support for thousands of families each year, but a recent uptick in new migrant arrivals, coupled with a strained housing market have led to a need for greater capacity across the system,” said Governor Baker in a statement.

Baker asserted that the surge in migrants is “unfortunately driven by the federal government’s failure to tackle our country’s immigration challenges.”