"It is essential that we get the word out that our shelters are full so that families can plan accordingly to make sure they have a safe place to go."
Governor Maura Healey has a message for migrants crossing into the U.S. at the southern border: Massachusetts can't shelter them.
Massachusetts's emergency shelter system, serving homeless and migrant families, is overburdened. Healey is also one of the few state leaders to support Biden's sweeping asylum ban as Massachusetts flounders to accommodate an influx of migrants.
Families entering the country might head to Massachusetts due to its unique "right-to-shelter" law. Since Healey declared a state of emergency in 2023 over a lack of available shelter beds, Massachusetts has placed unprecedented restrictions on the law.
Last fall, Healey's administration capped the number of families in the system at 7,500, which some advocates said violated the law. Lawmakers addressed additional capacity issues in March and approved 9-month stay limits in the system, with exceptions. The state will begin issuing eviction notices next month.
According to a Tuesday press release, Healey sent five members of her administration to Texas to make connections with federal agencies, stakeholders, and incoming residents. They will "educate (families) about the lack of shelter availability in Massachusetts," according to the release.
"It is essential that we get the word out that our shelters are full so that families can plan accordingly to make sure they have a safe place to go," Emergency Assistance Director General Scott Rice said in a statement.
Rice is joined by other officials involved with the emergency shelter system and immigration in the state. They'll visit sites like the San Antonio Airport and other entry points in McAllen, Hidalgo, and Brownsville, Texas.
Healey's office said these are the most common places to intercept Massachusetts-bound migrant families.
"This trip is an important opportunity to meet with families arriving in the U.S. and the organizations that work with them at the border to make sure they have accurate information about the lack of shelter space in Massachusetts," Rice said.