Docs shows impact of migrant crisis on sanctuary city airport
The impact of a migrant surge at a sanctuary city airport is coming to light as new information is revealed in response to a Senate committee investigation into the handling of the Biden-era migrant crisis. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, recently subpoenaed the Massachusetts Port Authority for documents related to the use of facilities at Boston Logan International Airport to shelter migrants.
During the height of the Biden-era crisis, migrants were seen camping out at airports, including Boston Logan International Airport. According to Massport’s responses to the committee, over 5,000 migrants arrived at Logan between July 2023 and July 2024.
At the peak, there were 352 migrants staying at Logan Airport in a designated 4,100-foot area of Terminal E. The migrants were transported to state centers every morning, although some returned and stayed at the airport. The cost of these stays was estimated to be $2,520 per day, totaling around $779,000 for additional staffing, services, and transportation.
Despite the influx of migrants, Massport maintained that the airport’s capacity was not reduced, and all actions were taken in accordance with federal and state law to ensure safe and efficient airport operations. The majority of costs were absorbed by Massport, with an additional $332,000 passed on to air carriers. Importantly, airport facilities were not turned into housing for migrants.
According to officials, there were occasional minor conflicts involving migrants, but none of these incidents required arrests or criminal charges. Ultimately, migrants were no longer allowed to use the airport as a shelter and were instead offered taxpayer-funded accommodation starting in July 2024.
The decision to bar migrants from staying overnight at Logan Airport came after a policy change announced by the state. Since then, no families have stayed at the airport. Massport emphasized that they are working closely with the committee to fully cooperate with their request for information.
Last year, lawmakers raised concerns that using airport facilities to house migrants violated the conditions of federal funding. This recent push for information coincides with broader efforts by the Trump administration to crack down on arrivals at the southern border, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of migrants crossing the border under the new administration.
Adam Shaw, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering immigration and border security, can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.
