Gov. Maura Healey is pushing to change the process of allowing migrants to legally work in Massachusetts, following the state of emergency declaration she issued last month.

In a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Healey stated allowing migrants to secure work faster will help relieve pressure on the state's emergency shelter system.

Healey said since the emergency declaration, the state has received $2 million from the federal government and have housed 600 families. She said they are working with local communities who are taking in families, but the rate of new arrivals coming in is not sustainable.

“My focus is on getting people to work,” Healey said at an event in Fitchburg Thursday. “If you get people working, it’s going to improve the situation for all. There are a lot of employers out there who are ready to take in and employ people.

“That’s why I’ve been pressing really, really hard for the Biden administration - we need action from the federal government. We need funding to help us cover the bill, but also we need work authorizations.”

Healey's request also addressed ways the federal government can make logistical and technological improvements to handle these situations better. She met with Mayorkas and his team in-person two weeks ago.