QUINCY, Mass. — Quincy is one of many communities trying to figure out how to deal with an influx of migrants as 6,000 migrant families stay in emergency shelters across Massachusetts.
Hundreds of people packed Quincy Central Middle School Tuesday night for a heated discussion after a temporary emergency shelter opened on the campus of Eastern Nazarene College for the many migrants coming to Massachusetts.
“We cannot sustain this many people in our state, we cannot pay for this, we cannot school this many people,” said one resident during public comment at a community meeting Tuesday.
“This is a change, and a lot of people are here for that reason, this is a big change going on we don’t even know if all these kids with them are going to flood beechwood school,” said another resident.
Many residents say they’re disappointed the college offered to host these immigrant families with no notice to neighbors, while many others stepped up to show support for the refugees.
“As a refugee and if I can put myself in the state of mind of the refugees coming here they’re running for their lives. The only thing they worry about is basic needs, food, shelter and safety,” said one Quincy resident.
Quincy city leaders as well as those who are running the new family welcome center answered questions from the community.
Bay State Community Services is one group helping the migrants.
Their executive director says they’re only helping families with children or pregnant women, who stay at the center for a just few days before they’re placed in a hotel shelter across the state, and right now their focus is on basic needs.
“We need diapers, we need wipes, we need baby formulas, these are resources that they don’t have,” said Daurice Cox, executive director for Bay State Community Services.
Quincy’s mayor says the migrant children are not enrolled in Quincy schools, and he ensures the police department will keep the city safe with this influx of people.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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