State, Federal Officials: Over 1,000 Migrants Attend Work Authorization Clinic

BOSTON - Officials with the state and federal governments have announced that over 1,000 migrants who have come to Massachusetts in the past few months have been assisted in receiving work authorizations during their November clinics.

The events were recently announced by Governor Maura Healey, as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been called upon to help more people within the state’ emergency shelters register to join the workforce. This comes as the shelter system has been stretched to its limits due to the continued influx of migrants from other nations. It’s a situation that has impacted MetroWest communities, including Framingham, as several local organizations like Jewish Family Service of Metrowest and the Community Foundation of MetroWest have provided aid in recent months.

“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,” Healey said in a statement.

Now, Healey and her cabinet say that the Middlesex County-based clinic has been processing proper documents and guiding migrants through the process of work authorizations. State agencies such as the Massachusetts National Guard, the Red Cross, MassHire, and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition have been a part of the clinic.

“We were impressed with the collaborative effort between state and federal governments, community organizations, and legal services working diligently towards a common goal,” Executive Director of the Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice Jill Seeger stated.

The clinic is slated to continue during the last week of November.