Dozens of migrants are reportedly sleeping in Logan Airport’s Terminal E as the state’s shelter crisis overwhelms the system taxing overflow sites.
“We continue to see migrants at the airport on a daily basis,” said Massport spokesperson Jennifer Mehigan. “They come to Logan a number of ways — some fly in, but the majority do not. They also arrive at Logan at all hours.”
People have been sleeping on the floors lining the lower level of the international Terminal E, as shown in images captured by CBS News. Mehigan said Massport could not provide an estimate of how many people were sheltering in the terminal a day.
The state’s shelter system maxed out at 7,500 families in November, leaving families on a waitlist with few options.
Mehigan said the airport has provided staff who speak Haitian Creole and Spanish available to assist the people taking shelter in the airport. Logan coordinates with the state to transport people to “welcome centers,” which help direct incoming migrants to resources, services and transportation.
“Frankly, what you’ve seen at Logan has been the situation, and this is why I said months ago that we are reaching capacity here,” Gov. Maura Healey said in response to a questions at a press conference Monday.
There have been “no incidents” involving the situation at the airport, Healey said, despite the volume of people. The governor said the Logan has been a “wonderful partner” and thanked staff and state police — who she noted are working their regular shifts — for “managing the inflow and outflow of folks.”
Healey noted that the administration has processed nearly 3,000 work authorizations for people and opened overflow sites and other housing with community partners like United Way. But, she said, the state needs help.
“The bottom line here is that we really are reaching, have reached capacity,” Healey said. … “I just continue to express in the strongest terms possible, that’s why we need action at the federal government. This is not a problem that Massachusetts created. However, it’s a problem that we’re having to deal with right now.”
