The area that housed nearly 50 migrant families at one point at Boston Logan International Airport is now empty. The last few families staying there were told by Gov. Maura Healey they had to evacuate by Tuesday.
Tuesday is the deadline for migrant families seeking shelter at Boston Logan International Airport to leave.
This move comes as Massachusetts' emergency shelter system has been working at maximum capacity for months.
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Gov. Maura Healey says the state is out of shelter space. She said over a week ago that Tuesday would be the last day families were allowed to live at Logan airport, which was nowhere near as full Tuesday morning as it was weeks ago.
This is a result of the state's efforts to transition people seeking asylum and refuge in Massachusetts into emergency shelters or into the state's new safety-net system, which includes the former Norfolk prison — that's been repurposed to house up to 140 families for a nine-month maximum stay.
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However, beyond that, clearing Logan airport will be a layered, all hands-on deck effort, involving faith-based organizations, charities and anyone else willing to step in and offer resources to help immigrant families get on their feet.
"They will have case managers on site guiding people in terms of what they need to do. i do not believe that they will leave people without being placed that night," said Gladys Vega from La Colaborativa, a Chelsea-based organization at the front lines assisting families who need shelter.
Case managers are expected to arrive at Logan airport Tuesday morning.
The Logan airport clearing is an effort to increase safety. The state's emergency assistance director said sleeping in an airport isn't an appropriate situation for travelers, Logan staff and more paramount — for the people living there.
