Greater than 20 folks have been kicked out of the state’s emergency migrant-family shelter program in current months for “inappropriate actions,” the Herald has realized.
The Massachusetts Government Workplace of Housing and Livable Communities lately despatched 22 “separation from household” letters to these within the Emergency Help household shelter program — expelling them whereas referring them to particular person grownup homeless shelters.
The Herald obtained these ejection letters via a public information request after discovering out {that a} 29-year-old man was reportedly booted from a resort housing migrant households in Marlboro, as a 16-year-old woman staying on the resort bought a restraining order in opposition to him.
Of the 22 current “separation from household” letters, 21 of them cited “inappropriate actions” within the migrant-family shelter program.
“The reason for the separate placement of (redacted name) is that it has come to our attention that you have taken some inappropriate actions that raise some concerns for the safety of the families currently in the EA program,” reads the boilerplate letter from Chris Thompson, undersecretary within the state’s Division of Housing Stabilization.
“These actions suggest a background that is not suitable for a program that house families,” the letter continues. “… I authorize (redacted name) to be referred separately to an individual adult homeless shelter. A list of individual adult homeless shelters is attached to this letter.”
The reason for the twenty second individual’s removing was blacked out.
“The reason for the separate placement of (redacted name) is based on (redacted),” that letter reads.
The emergency shelter system in Massachusetts homes greater than 7,500 households, together with migrants from different nations and native residents.
“This is very concerning,” Jessica Vaughan, of the Middle for Immigration Research, informed the Herald in regards to the variety of folks being kicked out of the household shelter program.
“It’s concerning for the communities where these people have been placed, and it’s concerning for the other migrants who are in these shelters,” Vaughan added. “When you have an open door policy at the border and a welcome mat in Massachusetts, you’re asking for problems.”
She famous that the border is so overwhelmed that federal authorities aren’t capable of conduct significant vetting.
“They cannot be confident they’re identifying people who will cause problems when they get to their destinations,” Vaughan mentioned.
On the subject of the separation letters referring folks to particular person grownup homeless shelters, the state is “kicking the can down to somebody else,” she mentioned.
“They should be reported to ICE, and ICE should be removing them,” Vaughan added.
After receiving the record of separation letters, the Herald reached out to Gov. Maura Healey’s administration in regards to the security and safety of the shelter program.
“The safety and wellbeing of families in the Emergency Assistance program is a priority for the Administration,” mentioned a spokesperson for the Government Workplace of Housing and Livable Communities.
“EA residents are required to adhere to shelter rules and violation of these rules may result in termination from the EA program,” the state spokesperson added.
Individuals who have acquired separation letters have been faraway from the EA program because of violating the uniform shelter guidelines.
Just a few months in the past, a migrant was accused of raping a disabled woman at an area shelter. The migrant baby rape case involving 26-year-old Cory Alvarez sparked a Congressional inquiry and led to extra Republican-fueled criticism of the emergency shelter system in Massachusetts.
Alvarez, a nationwide from Haiti, is accused of raping a 15-year-old disabled woman at a state-run shelter in Rockland. He has been indicted by a Plymouth County grand jury for the alleged baby rape on the shelter.
Alvarez, who entered the U.S. lawfully via a federal program and underwent two state intercourse offender checks, was discovered harmful in March. He stays held with out bail.
He was screened and vetted in opposition to nationwide safety and public security databases when he entered the U.S. and no “derogatory information” was discovered, in line with the Division of Homeland Safety.
The Herald has been searching for info on the 29-year-old man being kicked out of the Vacation Inn in Marlboro, which has been offering shelter to 149 households.
When the Herald reached out to Marlboro Police in regards to the man, a police spokesperson mentioned, “We are unable to provide these reports due to an ongoing investigation involving a juvenile.”
When the Herald reached out to Marlboro District Court docket in regards to the restraining order involving the person, a courtroom spokesperson mentioned the matter was impounded and never out there for the general public. Was this impounded as a result of the restraining order includes a minor?
“Abuse preventions orders are public record unless a judge impounds them,” a courtroom spokesperson responded. “We cannot give you any information about why the order was impounded.”
One of many “separation from household” letters that was despatched to an individual within the state’s migrant-family shelter program. (Screenshot of letter)
