Authorities in Boston have turned a facility that once housed veterans of the US military into a shelter for illegal migrants, Blaze Media reports.
Soldiers’ Home in Massachusetts was once a home for American veterans. At a cost of $10 to $30 a day with a personal exemption from a monthly income of $300, unmarried veterans could live in the facility on a live-in or long-term care basis.
The state has since built a Veterans Home in Chelsea, Massachusetts, a city of about 40,000 people north of Boston. An announcement by Democratic Governor Maura Healey claimed that this new, “state-of-the-art” home for veterans offered environmentally friendly living conditions, equipped with “geothermal wells and rooftop solar,” as well as “breathtaking panoramic views of downtown Boston and the harbour.”
After the veterans were relocated, the Soldiers’ Home was left “vacant and slated for demolition,” according to another press release from the governor. However, instead of bulldozing the building, state officials decided to convert it into a “state-run facility to assist illegal migrants.”
The press release states that the building will be designed for pregnant migrant women and migrant families with children, and will house about 100 families. The building is expected to serve as a migrant shelter for no more than a year.
City Manager Fidel Maltez said Chelsea residents “support” the idea of turning the Soldiers’ Home into a migrant shelter. Maltez told the Chelsea Record:
“I will tell you that the vast majority of the residents, while they were concerned about the impact on the neighborhood, were really supportive. What really shone through was the Chelsea spirit of we do not turn our back on anyone, … and we are best when we stand together.”
Starting May 1, in order to qualify to stay in this or other “public shelters,” illegal immigrants in Massachusetts will have to prove each month that they have taken steps to get off public assistance, as previously reported by Blaze News. Those steps could include getting a work permit, finding a job, participating in job training, learning English, finding alternative housing, and even just applying for jobs.
Emergency Services CEO Scott Rice said that this new policy “is a responsible step to address the lack of resources in our welfare centres.” He added:
“Families will need to demonstrate that they’ve taken action to get on a path toward independence and out of shelter.”
But Paul Craney of Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance believes this program is destined to fail. He noted:
“So long as we give people, anywhere in the world, a blank check to receive Massachusetts public benefits, people will continue to fight tooth and nail to get here and collect those benefits.”
