Republican lawmakers in Massachusetts have formally requested information from the state government about “$1 billion in secret spending to combat the migrant crisis” as the state grapples with the migrant crisis.
The group, in a statement from the state's Republican Party, MassGOP, called on Gov. Maura Healey's administration to provide a detailed breakdown of the toll the migrant crisis has had on state residents.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is keeping nearly $1 billion in spending secret and leaving Massachusetts residents in the dark,” Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale said in a statement. “They are concealing critical information about 600 incidents involving police, fire and emergency services. By blocking journalists at every turn, the administration is disrupting the flow of information to the public.”
Massachusetts funds bus service for migrant students, leaving over 100 students unable to ride
Migrants sleep on the floor at Boston Logan International Airport. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images/File)
Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey looks at Army cots set up on the gym floor during a tour of the Melnea A. Cass Recreation Facility in Roxbury with state and local officials in January. (Getty Images)
In a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, Carnevale sought details about state funding to provide housing for immigrants.
Immigration crisis expected to cost Massachusetts taxpayers $1.8 billion over next two years
In his freedom of information request, Carnevale asked the Healey administration to provide the names of government agencies and private organizations providing emergency housing to migrants, the locations of the emergency housing, correspondents regarding public safety concerns, as well as incident and police reports.
Massachusetts' Democratic governor, Maura Healey, declared a state of emergency last year after a surge in the number of migrant families arriving in the state. (Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Carnevale argued that the Democratic supermajority has created a “veil of secrecy” surrounding the immigration crisis.
“Today, the Massachusetts Republican Party stands against the veil of secrecy and obstructionism perpetrated by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and its Democratic supermajority,” she said. “We join Massachusetts' press community in saying enough is enough. The public deserves transparency, details of the businesses profiting from this crisis and the public safety issues impacting our communities.”
“On behalf of the people of Massachusetts, we are demanding accountability,” Carnevale added.
The report noted that Massachusetts has already spent more than $1 billion on protecting immigrants. (iStock)
The Massachusetts Republican Party's request comes after the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) released a report on July 24 predicting that Massachusetts will struggle to manage growing immigrant numbers.
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The report noted that states have already spent more than $1 billion on emergency assistance evacuation programs to house migrants.
“While the costs to Massachusetts taxpayers for temporary housing and shelters are significant, they pale in comparison to the future costs that would accumulate if the people currently in temporary housing were to remain in Massachusetts in the long term,” wrote Jessica Vaughn, director of policy research at CIS.
In addition to housing, other costs that taxpayers must cover include education, social services, health care, and public safety.
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The report estimates that the number of “illegal and inadmissible” immigrants living in Massachusetts is roughly 355,000, with an estimated 50,000 new arrivals since 2021. It also estimates that 10,000 of the immigrants are minors and 8,500 are unaccompanied.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Massachusetts Republican Party and Healey's office for comment.
Fox News Digital's Joshua Nelson contributed to this report.
