Republicans in Massachusetts have asked Democratic leaders in the state to disclose their alleged “$1 billion in secret migrant crisis spending.” The Republican Party of the Bay State requested Gov. Maura Healey’s administration provide a comprehensive breakdown of spending on meals, shelters, and other expenses in public records requests.
Massachusetts is scrambling to accommodate the roughly 50,000 illegal immigrants who have entered the state since President Joe Biden took office in 2021, and this request comes at a critical time.
Bus Outrage
The Stoughton school district cut bus services to local children but kept them running for young migrants living in shelters, causing outrage in the Boston area in recent weeks.
Amy Carnevale, the state GOP chairwoman, demanded that Healey disclose how taxpayer funds were being spent in light of this troubling revelation.
“Withheld Critical Information”
Carnevale stated that her “administration has shrouded nearly $1 billion spent in secrecy, leaving Massachusetts residents in the dark. They have withheld critical information on 600 incidents involving police, fire, and EMT”
Carnevale stated that Healey’s team was “blocking them at every turn” when reporters inquired about migrant costs, “The administration has obstructed the flow of information to the public”.
FOIA Request
Carnevale requested information regarding the state’s funding of housing for migrants through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
It wants to know the names of both public and private organizations that offer emergency shelters, where they are, and specifics about any issues with public safety as well as police and emergency reports.
State of Emergency
In August of last year, the Healey administration declared a state of emergency, claiming that Massachusetts’ shelter system housed more than 20,000 migrants.
According to investigations, the influx of migrants has strained services and consumed a significant amount of taxpayer funds. In February, CBS News Boston obtained documents indicating that the state had 17 contracts worth $116 million to house migrant families until June.
Concerning Contract
The documents included a concerning contract worth $10 million awarded without a bid to a meal-serving company nearby. For meals, which included $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch, and $31 for dinner, the state sometimes paid hotels $64 per person per day.
In the meantime, in March, the Republican-led city of Taunton filed a lawsuit against its one and only hotel, which had signed a deal with the state to become an emergency shelter for migrants for $10 million per year.
“Enough is Enough”
In order to accommodate more migrant families than it can safely house, Taunton requested $115,000 from the 155-room Clarion Hotel. Carnevale called for “accountability” and accused Healey’s team of operating behind a “veil of secrecy” regarding its spending on migrants.
She continued, “Enough is enough. The public deserves transparency. Release the details on the vendors profiting from this crisis and the public safety issues affecting our communities.”
On the Brink of Bankruptcy
The demand comes in response to a report that was issued by the conservative Center for Immigration Studies which warned that the crisis was driving Massachusetts closer and closer to bankruptcy.
According to the report, the 50,000 illegal immigrants who have entered the state since Biden became president are putting a financial strain on services like schools and healthcare.
$1.8 Billion Cost
According to report author Jessica Vaughan, this will cost the state $1.8 billion over the next two years. According to Vaughan, even though some non-legal migrants will work and pay taxes, this money won’t cover the cost of social services for all 355,000 of them.
Vaughan stated to the Mail that these migrants “represent a looming fiscal disaster for taxpayers in Massachusetts. Even if they are working, they are not equipped with skills and education to avoid being a drain on public coffers.”
Criticisms of the “Border Czar”
The revelations come amid a contentious presidential campaign in 2024, in which Republican nominee Donald Trump used immigration as a weapon against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
Republicans call Harris a “border czar” who didn’t work because she was supposed to address the root causes of Central American migration while illegal border crossings broke records.
Influence on Voting
However, despite the fact that the number of illegal entries has decreased to levels not seen since the Trump administration, it is still unknown how the issue will influence voting in November.
If he returns to the White House, Trump, on the other hand, has pledged to start a large number of deportations. According to the study, Massachusetts has received approximately 50,000 new illegal immigrants since January 2021, despite being more than 2,000 miles away from the southern border.
“Sanctuary” Protections
Some immigrants moved in with relatives, while others looked for work in big cities like Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.
Others used buses that were provided by officials at the frontier, and a few dozen were flown to the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, which caused some controversy.
The blue state which provides migrants with “sanctuary” protections welcomed them warmly at first but it seems that welcome is souring.
