Democrats have lost their minds.
The lieutenant governor of Massachusetts has appealed to residents and those with available space to provide accommodation for migrants following a state of emergency declaration due to a surge in migrant arrivals causing a “severe shortage of shelter options in the state.”
According to Newsweek, during a press conference held on Thursday, Kim Driscoll encouraged citizens to come forward if they were willing to accommodate an additional family as part of their own.
This request has garnered both criticism and support. Some critics expressed their concerns, while others defended Driscoll by referencing Massachusetts’ historical context as one of the early colonies established by European migrants.
Massachusetts has become the latest U.S. state to declare a state of emergency due to the increasing number of migrants arriving. As of Tuesday, the state reported accommodating 5,600 families in shelters, comprising approximately 20,000 individuals, including children and pregnant women. This represents an 80 percent increase from the 3,100 families housed a year prior.
Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, stated that the demand for shelter has outpaced the capacity of the emergency shelter system in recent months. The decrease in families leaving shelters is attributed to limited affordable housing options and challenges in securing employment.
In a letter addressed to Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Healey placed blame on federal immigration and work authorization policies, insufficient affordable housing availability, and the discontinuation of COVID-related food and housing assistance programs for the issues faced by the state.
Healey characterized the situation as a long-standing federal crisis of inaction and urged Mayorkas to pursue substantial legislative actions from Congress and utilize executive authority to remove obstacles hindering migrants’ employment prospects.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security disclosed that they have allocated $2.8 million in humanitarian aid to Boston. The Biden administration intends to continue collaborating with local and state authorities and has called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Healey noted that approximately 1,800 families are currently being accommodated in hotels and motels due to the soaring demand for shelter. The state is dedicating over $45 million per month to migrant support programs.
Driscoll urged citizens to consider providing temporary shelter by offering spare rooms, suites, available buildings, or spaces in their communities. She extended the call to local officials, college presidents, business owners, faith leaders, hotel and motel proprietors, landlords, and property owners.
Multiple Democratic leaders at the state and city levels have declared emergencies in response to the influx of migrants over the past year. Earlier this year, both New York State and Chicago, Illinois declared emergencies, and New York City did so in October 2022.
In response to these developments, Eric Spracklen, a conservative digital strategist, posted his incredulity on the platform X (formerly Twitter), describing the situation as “UNBELIEVABLE” and adding “This is insane.” The post has garnered over 110,000 views.
WATCH:
UNBELIEVABLE: Massachusetts is now requesting that residents shelter illegal immigrants in their homes
This is insane. pic.twitter.com/GFTsubzavx
— Eric Spracklen🇺🇸 (@EricSpracklen) August 10, 2023