Massachusetts: Migrant Shelter Expenses Total $64/Per Person Daily, Excluding Amenities
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.
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How has the capacity of the temporary facility at the Melnea Cass Recreational Center been reached within days?
And reached its capacity within days. The center, which can accommodate 400 people, is now housing hundreds of migrant families who have sought refuge in Massachusetts.
The situation has sparked controversy and debate among social media users and residents of the state. Many are expressing their frustration and outrage, questioning why the state is prioritizing the needs of illegal immigrants over those of homeless veterans and other vulnerable groups within the community.
It is worth noting that Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey declared a state of emergency in August of last year, citing the overwhelming number of migrant families in need of shelter. As a result, hotels in the state have been utilized as emergency shelters, and a temporary facility was constructed at the Melnea Cass Recreational Center to provide additional space.
Massachusetts, along with New York, is known as a “sanctuary state” due to its longstanding policy of providing refuge to those in dire need. According to legislation, emergency shelters must include basic cooking capabilities. If they do not, the state is required to step in and arrange for food delivery.
In response to the increased demand for meals, the East Boston-based Spinelli Ravioli Manufacturing Company was awarded a $10 million, six-month, no-bid contract to prepare and transport meals for the migrant families. The company emphasized that it is not the exclusive meal vendor and does not have a guaranteed contract or financial agreement beyond the initial emergency period. However, they are currently in the bid process for a long-term contract and are eager to continue supporting the state in reaching its goals.
While the state is providing food and refuge to incoming illegal immigrants, the growing public expense of these services is a cause for concern. According to documents obtained by CBS News Boston, Massachusetts has 17 contracts totaling $116 million to lodge migrant families until June. This includes the $10 million contract with the food provider.
The cost breakdown of meals for each migrant being housed in hotels is $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch, and $31 for dinner, totaling at least $64 per person daily. The documents did not mention the cost of additional amenities provided.
As the influx of illegal migrants into Massachusetts continues, some families and individuals have taken it upon themselves to welcome and house them. The Stokes family, for example, volunteered to host migrants and received a family of four at their home less than an hour after contacting the state. Prior to their arrival, the migrant family had been spending the night at Logan Airport.
The situation in Massachusetts highlights the challenges and complexities of managing the influx of illegal immigrants and providing essential services such as food and shelter. It also brings to the forefront the ongoing debate surrounding the state’s priorities and the allocation of resources, particularly in relation to vulnerable groups such as homeless veterans.
As the state grapples with this issue, it is crucial to find a balanced and compassionate approach that addresses the needs of all individuals and communities, while also considering the financial implications and long-term sustainability of providing these services. Furthermore, it is essential to engage in a constructive dialogue that fosters understanding and empathy among residents and policymakers alike.
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