Massachusetts officials said they plan to ship hundreds of migrants to a local prison – but only after it’s converted into a shelter to accommodate the influx of asylum seekers.
The Bay State Correctional Center in Norfolk, which was decommissioned in 2015, will be retrofitted to house about 140 migrant families – up to 450 people – who have been huddled at a makeshift facility at Boston Logan International Airport as the state grapples with the crisis, WCVB-TV reported.
“This is a very sensitive issue,” Norfolk town lawmaker Jim Lehan told the outlet.
“People are very concerned about its impact, both in terms of our infrastructure and our schools,” Lehan said. “They have a right to be concerned. Our job is to minimize this impact because we don’t get a vote on this. If the state wants to do this, then the state will do this.”
Scott Rice, the state’s emergency assistance director, told reporters that the one-time lockup is still in good shape, and has a cafeteria, gym, common room and offices that can be used for case management.
State officials will also set up a play area for migrant kids – and classroom space for adults to learn English and job skills and get help to find more permanent housing.
Gov. Maura Healey said fences and razor wire surrounding the former prison will be removed.
According to CBS affiliate WBZ-TV, Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system hit its capacity of 7,500 in November and has been scrambling to find overflow locations for migrants arriving in the state.
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