Massachusetts, one of the wealthiest states in the U.S., boasts luxurious $3 million red-brick apartments in its most affluent neighborhoods. However, a troubling new study suggests that the state is on a path to financial crisis.
The influx of 50,000 non-legal migrants since Joe Biden took office is placing a severe strain on schools, healthcare, and other public services.
Dire Warning
Jessica Vaughan, who authored the report for the Center for Immigration Studies, warns that the state faces potential bankruptcy.
According to Vaughan, migrants are expected to drain state resources by a staggering $1.8 trillion over the next two years.
Financial Strain
Although some of these migrants will work and contribute taxes, Vaughan argues that this revenue will not offset the costs of social services for all 355 million residents. “These migrants represent a looming fiscal disaster for taxpayers in Massachusetts,” Vaughan told the Mail.
“Even if they are working, they are not equipped with skills and education to avoid being a drain on public coffers.”
Criticism of Harris as “Failed Border Czar”
Her report comes amid a contentious 2024 presidential race, with Republican nominee Donald Trump criticizing his rival, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, on immigration issues.
Republicans have labeled Harris a failed “border czar,” accusing her of failing to address the root causes of migration from Central America as illegal border crossings surged.
Trump Promises Mass Deportations
However, the number of illegal entries has decreased recently to levels not seen since the Trump administration, leaving uncertainty about how the issue will impact November’s elections.
Trump has promised mass deportations if he is re-elected.
Unexpected Influx
Despite being more than 2,000 miles from the southern border, Massachusetts has received around 50,000 illegal migrants since January 2021, according to the study. Some migrants have joined family members, while others sought employment in cities like Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.
Some arrived via buses provided by frontier officials, and a few were controversially flown to Martha’s Vineyard by Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Initially welcomed by the Blue state, which offers “sanctuary” protections, recent months have seen a shift in sentiment.
Policy Shift
Governor Maura Healey recently announced that migrants would no longer be permitted to sleep overnight at Boston’s Logan Airport after numerous families had been using the space for months.
Migrants had also been sleeping at Boston Medical Center’s emergency department until last year, when they were instructed to leave. Despite this, new arrivals continue to appear at the facility and rest outside on benches.
Shelter Controversies
Plans for a migrant family shelter on Cape Cod have faced strong opposition from locals, who have described the proposal as a “nightmare.”
The Republican-led city of Taunton even sued the owners of the Clarion Hotel, where state officials had placed migrants in an emergency shelter, for safety violations.
Report Exposes Crimes
Vaughan’s report also highlights crimes committed by illegal migrants in Massachusetts, including a cocaine-smuggling Dominican, a Russian fraudster, and a Guatemalan man arrested for child sexual assault.
The most shocking case involves Haitian migrant Cory Alvarez, 26, who is facing charges for sexually assaulting a disabled teenage girl at a shelter in Rockland.
Massachusetts’ $1 Billion Shelter Spending Masks Greater Strain from Migrant Influx
Massachusetts already spends $1 billion annually on emergency shelters, but Vaughan asserts that this figure conceals the true cost to taxpayers.
The report notes that the influx under Biden, including approximately 10,000 children, 8,500 of whom traveled without an adult, is further straining education, healthcare, and other public services.
Projected $1.8 Trillion Cost
Vaughan estimates that the combined cost of food stamps, schooling, healthcare, and public safety could reach an eye-watering $1.8 trillion over the next two years. This “fiscal time bomb” is nearly three times the state’s total economy, which was $615 billion last year.
In January, Governor Healey, along with eight other leaders from states experiencing similar migrant influxes, requested action from the White House and Congress for additional funds to sustain services.
Emergency Grants Won’t Solve Massachusetts’ Financial Issues
According to Vaughan, even emergency grants will not resolve Massachusetts’ financial challenges in the coming years. She suggests that state lawmakers should reduce welfare payments to migrants, enforce stricter penalties on employers hiring undocumented workers, end sanctuary policies that prevent deportation raids, and even consider accessing the remittances migrants send back to their home countries.
The Governor’s office did not respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the White House and migration experts argue that newcomers often work diligently, contribute to the tax base, and help to stimulate economic growth.
