Massachusetts: Migrant Shelter Expenses Reveal $64/Person Daily Meal Cost
OAN’s Brooke Mallory
2:03 PM – Monday, February 19, 2024
While the state struggles to manage a backlog in its emergency shelter system, new documents highlight the growing public expense of providing food and refuge to incoming illegal immigrants in Massachusetts.
According to documents acquired by CBS News Boston, the state has 17 contracts totaling $116 million to lodge migrant families until June, including a $10 million no-bid deal for a food provider.
The hotels typically receive at least $64/per person from the state for meals daily, which consist of $16 breakfasts, $17 lunches, and $31 dinners for every migrant being housed. The cost of additional amenities provided was not mentioned in the documents.
Social media users chimed in and expressed outrage, given the fact that America’s growing number of homeless veterans is seemingly not a concern of the state, as opposed to illegal immigrants and their families.
Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey issued a state of emergency proclamation in August of last year, citing the state’s over 20,000 migrant shelter population.
Due to capacity overruns, local hotels have had to provide spaces to be utilized as emergency shelters. The state recently constructed a new temporary facility with 400 beds earlier this month in Boston’s Melnea Cass Recreational Center.
Like New York, Massachusetts has a long-standing right to refuge provision that requires the state to give families in dire need immediate refuge. Both New York and Massachusetts are referred to as “sanctuary states.”
According to the legislation, emergency shelters must include basic cooking capabilities, and if they do not, the state is required to step in and arrange for food delivery.
The East Boston-based Spinelli Ravioli Manufacturing Company, a caterer, was recently given a $10 million, six-month, no-bid contract by CBS affiliate WBZ to prepare and transport meals.
“As an approved state vendor, Spinelli’s was contacted at the onset of the crisis,” the company told WBZ.
“We are not the exclusive meal vendor and do not have a guaranteed contract, or financial agreement beyond this initial emergency period,” it added.
“We are currently in the bid process for an enduring contract and are looking forward to continue to aid the State and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to reach their goals.”
The influx of illegal migrants into Massachusetts has become so dire that some families are even taking it upon themselves to welcome and house them.
According to a recent report, a migrant family of four showed up at couple Jessica and Colin Stokes’ home less than an hour after they had called the state to volunteer to host migrants, according to CBS News Boston.
Before the offer came through, the family that the Stokes hosted had been spending the night at Logan Airport.
The Stokes’ story is being told as the Cass Recreational Center in Roxbury, Massachusetts, which opened as the state’s newest emergency shelter, filled up to 400 individuals in just one week.
A number of organizations were displaced by the shelter’s opening, including the Boston United Track and Cross Country Club, which typically serves minors from some of the city’s poorest communities.
The city authorities are continuing to scan the area in search of the next structure or building that they can take over and convert into a refuge for displaced individuals without documentation.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
A house fire in Virginia kills one and injures 12 others.
with Mike Davis
with Jobob
with Lara Logan
A group of 20 tech companies announced they will work together to prevent deceptive AI content from interfering with elections.
OpenAI is working on a software that can generate minute-long videos based on text prompts.
Activision Blizzard has been hit with a U.S. lawsuit claiming it restricts competition for organized gaming involving “Call of Duty.”
Amazon.com has joined SpaceX and Trader Joe’s in claiming that a U.S. labor agency’s in-house enforcement proceedings violate the U.S. Constitution.
rnrn
How much money has Massachusetts spent on providing food and refuge to incoming illegal immigrants?
The Growing Public Expense of Providing Food and Refuge to Incoming Illegal Immigrants in Massachusetts
As the state of Massachusetts struggles to manage a backlog in its emergency shelter system, new documents have brought to light the increasing public expense of providing food and refuge to incoming illegal immigrants. These documents, obtained by CBS News Boston, reveal that the state has entered into 17 contracts amounting to $116 million to lodge migrant families until June, including a no-bid deal worth $10 million for a food provider.
Under these contracts, hotels receive at least $64 per person from the state for meals daily, which include $16 breakfasts, $17 lunches, and $31 dinners for each migrant being housed. The documents, however, do not mention the cost of additional amenities provided.
The revelation of these expenses has sparked outrage among social media users, who argue that the state seems to prioritize illegal immigrants and their families over the growing number of homeless veterans in America. Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey declared a state of emergency in August last year, citing the state’s population of over 20,000 migrant shelter residents. As a result of capacity overruns, local hotels have been forced to provide space for emergency shelters. Additionally, a new temporary facility with 400 beds was recently constructed in Boston’s Melnea Cass Recreational Center.
Similar to New York, Massachusetts is referred to as a “sanctuary state” due to its long-standing right to refuge provision, which requires the state to provide immediate shelter to families in dire need. According to the legislation, emergency shelters must have basic cooking capabilities. If they don’t, the state is required to step in and arrange for food delivery.
In response to the emergency, the East Boston-based Spinelli Ravioli Manufacturing Company, a caterer, was awarded a $10 million, six-month, no-bid contract to prepare and transport meals. However, the company clarified that it is not the exclusive meal vendor and does not have a guaranteed contract or financial agreement beyond the initial emergency period. They are currently in the bidding process for a long-term contract.
The influx of illegal migrants into Massachusetts has reached such a critical level that some families have taken it upon themselves to welcome and house them. According to a recent report, a migrant family of four showed up at the home of Jessica and Colin Stokes less than an hour after the couple had offered to host migrants by contacting the state. Prior to this offer, the family had been spending nights at Logan Airport.
Massachusetts is facing the challenge of accommodating and providing for an increasing number of illegal immigrants. While the state addresses this issue with emergency shelters and contracts for food provision, concerns have been raised regarding the prioritization of these expenses over the support for homeless veterans. It remains to be seen how the state will navigate these challenges and balance its resources to address the needs of both populations.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...