Rep. Jake Auchincloss wants President Biden's help with migrant crisis in Massachusetts
WASHINGTON - As the migrant crisis worsens nationwide, elected officials in Massachusetts are asking the White House for help.
Towns in Massachusetts are combatting a migrant crisis that's quickly getting out of hand.
"We do not have anything in our budget to actually assist, this really has to be done by the Commonwealth," said Sturbridge Town Administrator Robin Grimm.
WBZ TV spoke to Gov. Maura Healey, who's moving up the chain for help.
"We need help from the Biden administration," Healey told reporters.
In September, State Sen. Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton) authored a letter to senior officials in Washington, warning of the worsening migrant crisis in Massachusetts and getting the attention of Rep. Jake Auchincloss.
"We need the Biden administration to compensate for the tremendous cost of sheltering the migrants," said Auchincloss, who represents Massachusetts' 4th District.
Auchincloss co-sponsored the Dignity Act, proposing an increase in border patrol protected status for Dreamers and to expedite working papers for migrants
"I was recently visiting a manufacturing facility where the employers are so keen to hire people, they want to pay people just to train at their facility. A mile down the road was a motel that had 300 migrant families, all of whom want to work. That will help flush out the back log in the Massachusetts shelter system and also relieve the financial burden on the state," said Auchincloss.
But Auchincloss is asking for more, writing to Pacheco he'll "…encourage the Biden administration to send an assessment team to Boston to see first-hand the challenges we are facing."
"It generates a sense of urgency and severity with senior federal decision makers by getting boots on the ground for direct, in-person conversations with senior state officials," said Auchincloss. In the meantime, concerned Congress may drag their feet, he's looking to implement immediate solutions.
"We're going to have to seek executive action while we work towards a legislative fix," said Auchincloss.
Rep. Auchincloss said his office has been in constant verbal contact with the Biden administration and is expecting a response to letter.
