The government of Massachusetts and the City of Boston have just established a new temporary shelter for newly arrived immigrants to the United States who spent their nights at Boston Logan Airport.
More than 400 refugees will be housed at the “Cass Recreational Park” in the locality of Roxbury, in the center of Boston.
A ceremony was organized on Wednesday, attended by authorities at the highest levels of the State of Massachusetts and the City of Boston.
“We are here today because we really don’t have a choice. As you know, families continue to arrive in this country and come to Massachusetts, and over the past few months, we have opened locations throughout the state, including large overflow sites, and we are also present in about 90 communities through our emergency shelter program,” said the governor of Massachusetts during the inaugural ceremony at the center.
Maura Healey also lamented the conditions in which immigrants seeking refuge in the state of Massachusetts are housed at Boston Airport.
“And I can tell you that last night, I was at Logan Airport, and I saw the number of families who were there, many of whom had been back for a second, third, fourth, or fifth week-long stay at Logan Airport, on the tiled floor, with children aged two, three, or four, infants with them, and all they can do is lie on a blanket that they spread out for the evening and then pick up in the morning.”
While acknowledging the collaboration of the authorities of the City of Boston, Maura Healey explains that the “Cass Recreational Park” will not serve as a permanent shelter. The site will be available for residents with the next five months. “We have clearly stated from the outset that this site is temporary; we will be out before June. It is important to have this site available to the community for activities starting June 2. We have promised that the DCR will spend additional resources on significant upgrades to the infrastructure of this building, something that the community deserves and that we will make happen,” promised Maura Healey, who also shared the efforts of her administration to help newly arrived immigrants obtain their work permits so they can find employment, allowing them to leave temporary shelters as soon as possible.
Participating in the inaugural ceremony, the senator from the second district of Suffolk County praised the governor’s leadership, stating that she had taken immediate steps to assist the Haitian community in Boston. She also praised the generosity of the residents of Roxbury while urging other cities to follow suit.
“Finally, Roxbury is doing its part. I ask all my elected officials who represent the other 350 cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to do their part. This is our shared humanity; these are our people and our shared opportunities, ” said Senator Liz Miranda.
According to the mayor of Boston, 25% of temporary shelters in the city of Boston are occupied by immigrants, as also highlighted during the ceremony.
Michelle Wu also revealed that the public schools of the city of Boston have already welcomed more than 1600 new students, “many of whom have recently arrived with their migrant families, adapting to this city, to this country, with the support and infrastructure that our incredible educators provide.”
Speaking on the occasion, the executive director of the Institute for Immigrant Family Services (IFSI) did not fail to congratulate the governor of Massachusetts and the mayor of Boston for making the difficult decision to make the Roxbury recreational park available to homeless immigrants.
Dr. Géralde Gabeau promises to give full support to the authorities of the state of Massachusetts and the city of Boston. “We can do it, and we can show the whole world that we can lead with grace, that we can lead with compassion,” Géralde Gabeau declared.
Throughout the ceremony, Roxbury residents protested against the decision to transform the recreational park into a temporary shelter. “Boston is Full, Roxbury is already poor enough,” reads the signs placed in front of the park.
Roxbury is considered the poorest neighborhood in Massachusetts.
Conservatives in the state of Massachusetts and other groups have criticized this decision, claiming that it will further complicate the daily lives of Roxbury residents who are already facing enormous difficulties.