Fall River may soon fine homeless Americans for “unauthorized camping” while Massachusetts spends $1 billion to house migrants

Last night, the Fall River City Council passed an ordinance that will allow the City of Fall River to fine and then remove the homeless for unauthorized camping. This is happening while Massachusetts spends $120,000 a year to house each migrant family and $67,000 a year to provide them transportation. When you add in free healthcare, legal services, EBT cards, education and other benefits, newly arrived non-US citizens (some here illegally) who have never paid taxes receive about $250,000 a year in tax payer benefits.

I don’t blame a single person or family for coming to Massachusetts from another country – If Germany offered me $250,000 in tax-payer benefits I’d be on a plane next week. It’s natural to want to improve your situation, especially when you live in a poor, dangerous country. The problem is there are 1 billion poor people around the world and only 7 million Massachusetts residents. Massachusetts tax payers can’t support all of the world’s poor.

This $250,000 benefit package for each migrant family is made possible by governor Healey and your state representatives and senators. It’s easy to spend money that is not yours if it benefits you politically, especially when you run unopposed or in elections with extremely low voter turnout. The blame falls on the voters of Massachusetts who re-elect the politicians who enact these policies. Massachusetts Democrats get cheap labor and future voters. The tax payers get a higher tax bill and an ordinance that fines you if you become homeless in Fall River.