Reblogging for truth with some extra deets, since I’m a local.
First and foremost, as of Sunday morning, this order is valid only for seven days and applies to anyone with an existing legal visa or paperwork. So if you aren’t here by the end of Saturday, you may not be let in at all. That said, we’re still protesting the shit out of this since the ratio of compassionate progressives to Fuhrer Trump voters here is 2:1, and we’re all pretty pissed off.
If you’re going to do a same-day connecting flight in Logan Airport, my advice is to leave at least a four hour gap in between. Customs and Border Patrol will almost certainly be shitty in spite of the court order, and the various Logan terminals don’t actually connect to each other behind security, meaning you’ll have to be screened again before boarding your next flight. Thankfully there’s plenty of free busses that connect between the four terminals, and the checkpoints tend to be pretty fully staffed with usually competent workers, but always err on the side of caution.
Logan Airport is NOT a hub airport for the traditional major airlines like Delta or American, but it does have a lot of direct flights for them. JetBlue DOES use Logan as one of their Hubs, however, and provides pretty good service on newer planes out of Terminal C. Delta operates out of Terminal A, and American and United share Terminal B if I recall. So chances are if you’re trying to fly to somewhere out west, you’ll have to connect at a west coast or Midwest airport again, driving up ticket prices. It’s shitty, but the important part is physically getting inside America first, before Fuhrer Trump and his goons shut the borders again.
If you’re staying in Boston, there are a LOT of immigration attorneys. Seriously, just google them. I believe City Hall also still holds immigration seminars every so often, where lawyers will assist folks who normally cannot afford them with preparing and filing paperwork.
Massachusetts drivers can be massive assholes, so you might be better off taking mass transit if you’re going to navigate the city. Do NOT use Uber, as the company is utter slime. Boston actually has several connections out of Logan to mass transit including the Blue Line Subway (free from the airport into the city, $2.25 otherwise), the SL1 Silver Line Bus ($2.25), Logan Express ($11 one way), and commuter ferry (kinda expensive, something like $5-$9 I think). Once you’re in the city, South Station (accessible by Red Line and SL1 only) provides rail links to the suburbs (commuter rail) and the eastern seaboard via Amtrak, including the Northeast Regional and Acela Express that run all the way to Washington D.C.. North Station (accessible by green and orange lines) provides commuter rail service to the north and western suburbs, and has a single Amtrak route to Maine, if that’s where you’re heading.
If you’re going to be in Boston for a few days, there’s unfortunately not much in the way of inexpensive accommodations. That being said, there’s a lot of history to trip over here, given this is where America started its resistance against the British, and began forming as a country (though Philadelphia has all the cool documents). At the very least, consider checking out the Commons or Garden (accessible via Green Line stops at Park Street, through Arlington stops) for a huge swath of plaques, memorials, and historical markers. There’s also guided tours available, as well as trolley tours. Just make sure you bring a thick jacket, since it’s freezing damn cold right now.
OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS:
The local emergency number is 9-1-1, and any cell phone must be capable of dialing it, even if it’s not activated.
Police are everywhere this time of year, and usually pretty friendly. Just remember to never volunteer information they don’t ask for, since they still have to do their jobs, so keep any questions you have to the point.
Marijuana IS LEGAL in Massachusetts, but cannot be consumed in public. Also, it can really fuck with your status if you’re busted with it due to archaic DEA laws, so generally avoid it. If you do need supplies for it, Hempfest in Harvard Square can help you out.
LGBTQ? HIV Positive? STD testing? Fenway Health has been helping our community for YEARS, including helping you get HIV medication even if you lack insurance. They also have free condoms if you want to have some safe sex fun and forgot yours. Mass General can also help out, but they can be a bit more complex to navigate without insurance or knowledge of what you’re looking for.
Thanks to loads of colleges here, there should be plenty of safe spaces for migrants and their families, and plenty of authentic cuisine choices. Check out social media for more information from the colleges themselves.
Let me end by saying this: you’re welcome here. We want you here. You’ve come a long way, and sacrificed a lot to make it this far, and you absolutely deserve to be here.
Don’t let some rotting tangerine and his Nazi buddies tell you otherwise.
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