More than 1,000 “work-eligible” migrants staying in emergency shelters attended a workshop this week to fast-track processing occasions for work authorizations, one thing state officers have argued will assist shift households out of short-term housing and into everlasting options.
Both the Healey administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ran the workshop in Middlesex County and plan to carry the clinic once more through the week of Nov. 27, in accordance with state officers.
“Work authorization is key to helping new arrivals get jobs that will help them support their families, move out of emergency shelter into more stable housing options, and fill critical workforce needs across our economy. We’re proud that the first week of this clinic has proven to be such a success, with more than 1,000 people served,” Gov. Maura Healey stated in a press release.
Healey spent months calling on the Biden administration to hurry up the time it takes to course of migrant work authorizations, arguing months-long ready durations are one key cause state shelters are backed up with 1000’s of households.
White House Senior Advisory Tom Perez stated the Biden administration will proceed to help extra migrants submitting work allow purposes within the coming weeks.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting local jurisdictions hosting recently arrived migrants and we will continue working with our partners in Massachusetts in the coming weeks and months. Last month, President Biden submitted supplemental funding requests to Congress which address a series of national priorities, including grant funding for jurisdictions hosting migrants and funding for accelerating the processing of work permits for eligible migrants,” Perez stated in a press release.
Department of Homeland Security officers visited Massachusetts final month to take inventory of the state of affairs. Federal brokers mentioned with Mayor Michelle Wu the concept of holding a week-long work allow processing workshop the place the feds may provide in-person assist, the Herald first reported.
The Healey administration stated the clinic held this week additionally noticed greater than 500 adults and kids obtain seasonal vaccinations. Attendees additionally obtained entry to MassHire and help enrolling in daycare.
“Not only are these new arrivals to Massachusetts eager to be able to work as part of building full lives in our state, but our employers and communities need their time and talent,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh stated in a press release.
Services on the clinic this week and the one the week of Nov. 27 can be found to “pre-identified” migrants staying in emergency household shelters and are probably eligible for or within the strategy of employment authorizations, the Healey administration stated.
“The state will again organize appointments and provide transportation to and from shelter sites and the clinic,” the administration stated in a press release.

Courtesy of Healey administration
The Healey and Biden administrations held a piece authorization clinic the week of Nov. 13 in Middlesex County to assist migrants entry work permits. (Courtesy of Healey administration)
Source: www.bostonherald.com”