The Democratic governor of Massachusetts has voiced her support for the arrest of criminal undocumented immigrants, highlighting the importance of “the apprehension of criminals in our communities.”
Gov. Maura Healey told reporters on Thursday that she backs the arrest of criminals regardless of their immigration status, as reported by local news outlet WCVB.
Fox News reported that ICE Boston agents made eight arrests this week, including multiple MS-13 members, individuals with Interpol Red Notices, suspects wanted for murder and rape, and a violent Haitian gang member with 18 prior convictions. During the arrest, the gang member reportedly shouted, “I ain’t going back to Haiti!” and “F— Trump, Biden forever!”
These arrests come as part of the Trump administration’s aggressive push to launch a historic mass deportation operation, which has been focused—though not exclusively—on individuals posing threats to public safety.
Referencing the arrests, the governor said she “wouldn’t describe them as raids,” but instead, “what it seems to be, and what we expected and what I support, which is the apprehension of criminals in our communities.”
“Whether you’re documented or undocumented, you commit crimes, you’re subject to investigation and prosecution and accountability, and it looks like that is what happened,” Healey said, according to Fox local outlet, Boston 25.
However, her comments appear to signal a massive reversal from her previous positions before the 47th president was sworn in.
Healey, who previously pledged in November to resist Trump’s deportation efforts, emphasized that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state, despite a 2017 ruling by the state Supreme Judicial Court that significantly restricts law enforcement cooperation with ICE.
In November, Healey stated that state police would “absolutely not” cooperate with Trump’s mass deportation operations, vowing to use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect” residents in the heavily Democratic state.
“I still remain opposed to efforts to target large swaths of an undocumented population who’ve done nothing wrong other than they’re here without lawful presence,” she said.
Healey has recently adopted a more centrist stance on immigration enforcement.
After an undocumented migrant was discovered exploiting the state’s shelter system for illegal activities, Healey expressed her “outrage” and ordered a comprehensive review of the system. She also sent a letter to Massachusetts legislative leaders, urging them to amend the state’s “right to shelter” laws to exclude undocumented immigrants.
She also said at the time that Trump would have an opportunity to fix an allegedly broken immigration system, adding, “I hope he does.”
Critics of Democratic policies, however, argue that the immigration system isn’t “broken.” Rather, it’s that leaders in mostly blue states and cities refuse to enforce laws already on the books or cooperate with federal authorities who seek to enforce them.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell remains a vocal opponent of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
This week, she has repeatedly taken to social media to express her frustration and criticism of Trump’s immigration policies, noting in one X post, “State & local law enforcement cannot be commandeered for federal immigration enforcement. Despite what President Trump may think, he doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally rewrite our Constitution.”
“State AGs won’t hesitate to respond if his threats become illegal actions,” she noted further.
Meanwhile, GOP state Reps. Michael Soter and Kenneth Sweezey introduced new legislation on Friday, titled “An Act to promote and protect safety in the Commonwealth,” that empowers local and state law enforcement to more fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
“The immigration issue in Massachusetts has gotten completely out of control,” Sweezey said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. “This piece of legislation is a very simple, common-sense first step in rectifying part of the issue.”
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