Gov. Maura Healey Defends MA Protect Act: ‘ICE is a Rogue Agency’

The Massachusetts Legislature has given final approval to legislation that establishes statewide sanctuary-style policies without formally declaring the Commonwealth a sanctuary state.

What Is the Massachusetts Protect Act?

The legislation, known as "An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment," or "the Protect Act," was given final legislative approval on Friday, July 31, 2026, and significantly limits state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, who could sign the bill as soon as this week, calls the Protect Act "an important piece of legislation."

"We have got to protect our communities across Massachusetts, across this country, you know, taking working moms and dads away from their kids, away from our communities," Healey told me during a visit to New Bedford's Feast of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday.

"It's had an impact on these families, which is devastating, to these breadwinners," Healey said.

Healey Backs Bill Making Massachusetts A Virtual Sanctuary State

Healey said the removal of illegal immigrants has "had an impact" on the state's economy. "I mean, what sense does it make to take away hardworking, taxpaying people who are providing an important role in our economy?" she said.

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Key Limits on ICE Enforcement and Police Cooperation

Mass Daily News reported the Protect Act, which bans federal immigration agents from making "warrantless civil immigration arrests" in so-called "sensitive areas" such as courthouses, public schools, child care centers, and health care providers, also prohibits state and local law enforcement from asking about citizenship status during traffic stops.

The law would disallow new 287(g) agreements with ICE and allow anyone who claims they were "unjustly targeted" by ICE to sue in Massachusetts state courts over "alleged constitutional violations," among other things, according to Mass Daily News.

Healey Backs Bill Making Massachusetts A Virtual Sanctuary State

Mass Daily News reported that provisions of the law "will almost certainly be tested in court" as overreach, but Healey disagrees.

"No, I know," she said. "And I say that as a former attorney general."

Governor Healey Defends Legislation Against Legal Challenges

"So, you know, I've spoken out loud against ICE. They are a rogue agency. They are not playing by any rules, and people are getting killed across this country as a result," Healey said.

"In Massachusetts, I'm proud that we're taking a stand against ICE to protect our communities and to protect public safety," she said. "That's what it's about for me, protecting public safety, too, right?"

"ICE is hurting people; they're killing people," Healey said. "It's not right."