(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Gov. Maura Healey’s, D–Mass., office confirmed on May 11, 2024, that the state will convert a shuttered prison into an emergency “safety-net” site for illegal aliens.
In 2015, the Bay State Correctional Center in Norfolk was decommissioned, but it will soon serve as temporary housing for approximately 140 local homeless and illegal families residing in Massachusetts, the only state with a right-to-shelter law, Blaze Media reported.
In November 2023, the state’s emergency shelter system reached capacity at 7,500 families.
The facility is still “in good condition,” Emergency Assistance Director Scott Rice said. The building served as a minimum-security prison, featuring dorm-like rooms, a cafeteria, a gymnasium, a common room and offices. On each floor, residents will have access to showers and bathrooms.
The state also plans to create a play area for children and classroom spaces for adults, Rice said, adding that the facility will host English for Speakers of Other Languages courses, job training and housing search workshops. Additionally, razor wire on the fence that lines the property will be removed, and the facility’s gates will remain open.
The news source reported that the emergency shelter should be operational in June of this year.
It was also discovered that the town of Norfolk only learned the prison would be converted into shelter space on May 10, 2024. Lieutenant Gov. Kim Driscoll, D-Mass., briefed the town on the plan the next day.
The prison will serve as a shelter for illegals for six to 12 months, Norfolk officials said, adding that they had “no role in this decision” and were “not consulted prior.” They also said that the plan to turn the prison into a shelter has “many logistical challenges,” which they plan to discuss with school leaders, police and fire chiefs.
