Army-Navy Game Fury: Illegal Aliens Force Sudden Cancellation of Veterans' Hotel Reservations
Fans who booked hotel rooms months in advance to watch the annual December college football game between Army and Navy are scrambling to find somewhere to stay in Massachusetts after their hotel reservations were canceled so the state could house illegal immigrants, according to a news report.
Amid the ongoing surge of migrants at the country’s open southern border, more and more people who are in the country on questionable asylum claims have been shipped to “sanctuary” cities and states — such as New York and Massachusetts.
They’ve been housed in hotels across the state at the direction of Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, who is using the state’s “right to shelter” law.
The state has contracted with hotel chains to house people after Healey declared a state of emergency.
According to a report from The Boston Herald, room for illegal immigrants is coming at the expense of service academy graduates, their families and fans who planned ahead to watch the annual rivalry game between the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and the U.S. Naval Academy of Annapolis, Maryland.
The game will take place on Dec. 9 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, at Gillette Stadium — the home of the New England Patriots.
How many fans will be in attendance remains a question two months before the game.
Writing for the Herald, opinion columnist Joe Battenfeld reported he had spoken to a travel agent who had confirmed 70 hotel rooms that were booked by military families were “taken back” from those who reserved them in order to make way for migrants.
Travel agent Mark Mansbach said he is working with his clients to find them places to stay, but that some do not feel safe.
“I have enough rooms to cover some of the people. Some people are looking around, but pricing is very high,” Mansbach said.
He added, “For many, the issue is safety … they are questioning the safety of remaining hotels located near those that are now filled with migrants. Lots of questions by my clients and most hotels are scrambling to come up with safety protocols.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ripped the way the military families are being treated in a Wednesday post on social media.
“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 said.
He added, “What a farce. When I am president, the days of putting illegal 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.
What a farce.
When I am president, the days of putting illegals aliens over Americans will be over. https://t.co/U6SGyHtC1L
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 4, 2023
Giri Hotel Management, which operates numerous affected hotels in the Boston area, wrote off the situation as a non-controversy in comments to the Herald.
“We are delighted to confirm that we are indeed taking refugees at our hotels,” said company vice president of marketing Claire Mulholland.
Mulholland added:
“By providing shelter to refugees, we aim to be part of a global community that stands together in support of those in need … We look forward to working with local authorities and organizations to ensure a smooth transition for all those who will call our hotels home during their time with us.”
Giri Hotel Management said it would be able to “seamlessly” relocate paying guests to other rooms that will now be occupied by illegal border crossers.
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