Sen. Joni Ernst slammed the Biden administration’s “failing” border policies after the incident.
A wave of frustration has swept over Army and Navy fans who had planned to attend the much-anticipated Army-Navy game at Gillette Stadium this December. Several military families and veterans have found their hotel reservations unexpectedly canceled, with the rooms being allocated to accommodate illegal immigrants under Massachusetts’ “right-to-shelter” law.
According to reports from American Military News, Washington Examiner, and FAIR, the cancellation of hotel reservations is a direct result of the state’s right-to-shelter law. This law requires that adequate housing be provided for homeless families and immigrants, even those who have entered the country illegally. Consequently, many hotels in the area are currently occupied by these groups, leaving fans and service members without accommodations for the game.
The Washington Examiner noted that these cancellations are legal under Massachusetts law, but the influx of illegal immigrants from the southern border has created an unprecedented situation. The displacement of military families and veterans has sparked controversy and raised questions about the implementation and impacts of the right-to-shelter law.
CBS News Boston reported that one travel agent had at least 70 of his reservations impacted by this situation. The scale of the issue is significant and has led to widespread disappointment among those who had planned to attend the game.
Fox News highlighted that Massachusetts’ right-to-shelter law ensures migrants and homeless families have somewhere to live. However, the current situation has put a spotlight on the potential drawbacks of such a policy, with veterans and military families being affected.
Critics of the current administration, such as Senator Joni Ernst, have used this incident to highlight what they see as failings in border control policies. In a statement reported by the Washington Examiner, Ernst criticized President Biden for allowing cities to be “overrun by illegal immigrants to such an extent that it is keeping our veterans from being able to attend the Army-Navy game.”
The situation has stirred a national conversation about immigration policies, state laws, and their impacts on American citizens. As military families and veterans grapple with the repercussions of these policies, it remains to be seen how this issue will be addressed moving forward.
