‘Very concerned’: Expert explains doubts behind Massachusetts’ new 5-day emergency shelter rule

A day shelter in Mattapan provides newly arrived Haitian immigrants a safe place but once night falls new rules put in place at overflowing emergency shelters means many may be on their own.

“We are very concerned people are going to be out on the streets and are not going to have a place to stay,” said Jeff Thielman who is President and CEO of the International Institute of New England.

He helps resettle migrants and understands the financial constraints that the non stop flow of new migrants is putting on a system already bursting at the seams but he’s worried about the new five day rule requiring people to move out of the system.

“And we’re concerned people are not going to be a strategy or enough time for people to plan what to do next. Five days is a very, very short time,” said Thielman.

But some families will be prioritized.

• Families going through a no-fault eviction will have priority over overflow sites
• Or if they’re facing extreme situations like flooding or fires
• If they are veterans
• If they have significant medical needs
• If they have newborn children
• Or are at risk of domestic violence

Gov. Healey keeps calling on the feds to help.

“We need more funding, we need more help,” said Gov Healey after an appearance at a local radio station where she discussed the migrant issue.

The Governor hopes that new five-day rule might make some migrants think twice about coming to Massachusetts where sleeping outside now may be an option but not for long.

“I do not see the five-day rule working when it gets cold because you’re going to have lots of families on the streets and that’s going to be unacceptable to most of us in Massachusetts,” said Thielman.

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