Dem Gov Suddenly Changes Her Tune On Leaving Shelter Doors Open For Illegal Migrants After Huge Drug Bust

The governor of Massachusetts requested on Wednesday that nearly all family members living in any of the state’s emergency shelters be in the United States legally, with few exceptions.

Democratic Gov. Maura Healey proposed a slate of new restrictions for the state’s decades-old right-to-shelter law, such as tougher criminal background checks, establishing residency requirements and prohibiting nearly any applicant who isn’t a U.S. citizen or lawfully present in the country. The proposals come after several criminal busts in the shelters attracted national headlines, such as a rape of disabled girl by a shelter resident and the discovery of nearly $1 million in drugs and an AR-15 by another.

Currently, any applicant can be housed in the state’s shelter system before providing documentation. In a public statement about the proposals, Healey appeared to blame Congress and the federal government for the beleaguered shelter program.

“I have evaluated the Right to Shelter Law and regulations as well as the operational burdens on the system,” the governor said. “Based on that review, and in the face of continued inaction by Congress and no assistance from the federal government, I believe these changes are appropriate and needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state shelter system in a way that aligns with the original intent of the law.”

“In addition, these proposed changes will allow us to continue to ensure the safety of our system, support cities and towns in addressing the needs of unhoused families in their communities and put us on the path toward a more fiscally sustainable shelter system,” she continued.

Republicans in the state accused the governor of acting far too slowly to address the shelter crisis.

“It’s a shame that the Healey-Driscoll Administration took this long to come to terms with the gravity of the situation,” Amy Carnevale, chair of the MassGOP, said in a