Many service members, veterans and their families who booked hotel rooms for the upcoming Army-Navy football game in Massachusetts had their reservations canceled to house illegal immigrants.
According to the Boston Herald, a travel agent who managed the travel bookings for many families headed to the game later this year revealed that at least 70 rooms across three hotels were canceled. Reportedly, Massachusetts was recently contracted to put illegal immigrants in hotels in the state.
A spokesperson for a hotel management company that operates hotels near Gillette Stadium, where the game is being held, confirmed that the rooms were “taken back” to house “refugees.”
“There is no sporting event that is more patriotic than the Army-Navy game. It’s beyond shameful that anyone tied to the game and its traditions is having to scramble for a place to stay while hotel rooms are being handed out to folks who largely don’t even know that the game exists,” Mark Harris at Outkick wrote about the situation.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, called the situation a “farce.”
“Our veterans and service academy graduates cannot find anywhere to stay for the Army-Navy Game because hotels are housing illegal aliens on the taxpayers’ dime,” DeSantis wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “When I am president, the days of putting illegals aliens over Americans will be over.”
Our veterans and service academy graduates cannot find anywhere to stay for the Army-Navy Game because hotels are housing illegal aliens on the taxpayers’ dime.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 4, 2023
What a farce.
When I am president, the days of putting illegals aliens over Americans will be over. https://t.co/U6SGyHtC1L
DeSantis previously sent illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, which boasts about being a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants. As Mia covered, the illegal immigrants were sent away after a couple of days.
In August, Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency over the illegal immigrants in the state.
“In recent months, demand has increased to levels that our emergency shelter system cannot keep up with, especially as the number of families leaving shelter has dwindled due to a lack of affordable housing options and barriers to securing work,” Healey said. “I am declaring a state of emergency in Massachusetts and urging my partners in the federal government to take the action we need to address this crisis by streamlining the work authorization process and passing comprehensive immigration reform.