Migrant families will no longer be permitted to sleep overnight at Logan International Airport starting Tuesday.
Many newly arriving migrants have called Boston’s major airport home in recent months as they awaited shelter space but Monday night marked the final evening of sleeping on the floors.
“It’s better for them to be in one place that’s safe and not at the airport,” said Jeff Thielman, President and CEO of the International Institute of New England.
Over a week ago Boston 25 saw several families sleeping on floors at Logan. Many are now going to the new safety net site at a former Norfolk jail.
The number of migrants sleeping at Terminal E has been an issue for months. The crowding recently led to a physical altercation between two migrant families inside the terminal.
“As long as there is a place for them to go I think it’s a good decision. I think it is unhealthy for both migrant families and for passengers to have people at Logan Airport,” said Thielman.
Thielman’s organization helps they help new migrants find housing and work but that is a difficult process in a state with limited housing.
“It’s a tough process. I’ll be totally honest with you. We are working every day to find apartments,” he said.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu credits the governor’s decision and says the feds need to step up and help.
“This is a federal challenge that has been pushed down to the cities and states that are considered more welcoming than others so it has been a real struggle,” said Mayor Wu.
And Thielman adds that most of these migrants want to work and deserve a chance.
“There needs to be a better process to welcome them. And that includes giving resources to organizations like ours to teach them English, to help them to find jobs, to help them get employer authorization documents,” said Thielman.
This move at Logan comes after Massachusetts sent a delegation to the U.S. border to spread the word to border officials and NGOs that the state’s shelters are full. However, local aid workers tell us that migrants are still arriving daily.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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