The governor of Massachusetts on Aug. 8 declared an emergency over the influx of immigrants, a number of whom are in the country illegally.
Gov. Maura Healey said that the state’s shelter system is nearing a breaking point due to “rapidly rising numbers” of immigrants, even after the creation of new emergency sites at places like Joint Base Cape Cod to try to handle the increase.
“Demand has increased to levels that our emergency shelter system cannot keep up with, especially as the number of families leaving shelter has dwindled due to a lack of affordable housing options and barriers to securing work,” Ms. Healey, a Democrat, said in a statement.
Out of more than 5,500 families in shelters, “many” are recent arrivals to Massachusetts, officials said. Another over 1,800 families are living in hotels or motels.
They said that 25 families per day were seeking shelter in March 2022. The number jumped to 68 in March, and more than 100 in July.
Read more: Massachusetts Governor Declares Emergency Over Influx of Immigrants
