Boston authorities are making preparations to allocate the Old Chelsea Soldiers’ Home in the city to accommodate undocumented immigrants, as the administration of Democrat Governor Maura Healey seeks additional locations to house migrants.
According to Healey’s office, the existing shelters are currently operating beyond their capacity, hence the Soldiers’ Home facility will be utilized to provide housing for migrants.
Approximately 100 families are expected to be accommodated at the facility in the near future, as reported by the city. To ensure a smooth transition away from reliance on state assistance, the city has implemented a new requirement for undocumented individuals seeking shelter to enroll in state programs.
“We have said for months now that our system is at capacity, and we do not have the space, providers or funding to continue expanding,” Emergency Assistance Director Scott Rice said according to the Boston Herald. “This new certification policy is a responsible step to address the capacity constraints at our safety-net sites. Families will need to demonstrate that they’ve taken action to get on a path toward independence and out of shelter.”
Applicants must either seek employment or enroll in training programs.
In the meantime, hundreds more individuals are still making their way into the city. City officials have been working diligently to address the influx of President Joe Biden’s undocumented immigrants. One proposal is for private citizens to host illegal immigrant families in their own homes. The city has also reallocated millions of dollars in municipal services to support migrants.
However, many residents have not been entirely receptive to these initiatives. Local families in the predominantly black Roxbury neighborhood of Boston were outraged in February when the city closed a community center to accommodate more of Biden’s undocumented border crossers.
Healey’s administration faced criticism for housing migrants at Logan International Airport.
