For years now Democrat run states have made a very big deal about marketing themselves as “sanctuary states” for illegal immigrants. Strangely, it has become a badge of moral pride for the leftist party to portray itself as being kind and gentle to people who illegally cross the border and disappear into the country.
According to the non-partisan National Conference of State Legislatures, 10 U.S. states plus Washington D.C. have officially designated themselves as sanctuary states, while nine states have passed laws preventing their own government and police from cooperating with federal immigration officials.
But it’s much easier to look and feel generous and bountiful when the problem is on someone else’s doorstep. But as illegal immigration has risen to at least 10 million under President Joe Biden by some estimates, what used to be a “border state” problem mainly affecting Texas and California has gone nationwide.
Now, proudly blue Massachusetts finds itself overwhelmed with immigrants and is starting to sing a different tune. In 2022 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis shipped 50 illegals from Venezuela up to tony Martha’s Vineyard, that resort island where people like Barack Obama have homes. The locals were not very happy, complaining that they didn’t have the space or the homes to take care of the people shipped in. The busing and plane loads of illegals from red states to some blue states has continued to put pressure on places like Massachusetts.
After several press conferences that seemed designed to portray her state as morally righteous for taking in illegal border jumpers, Mass. Gov. Maura Healey sounded different in 2023. Turning a new leaf, she called in the National Guard to deal with what she called the “emergency” numbers of illegal migrants in her state.
Massachusetts has more than 150,000 illegals that are clogging up the court system, and the state has turned to the only viable solution, which is deportation. The state deported 54,000 in 2023, and estimates say that number may jump to 59,000 this year.
Deportations cost money, for sure, but the question is, does it cost less to deport an illegal than it does to house and feed them, as so many end up on government benefits. That, of course, is just another way of saying that taxpayers ultimately foot the bill.