Gov. Maura Healey signs executive order and files bill to bar ICE from sensitive locations in Massachusetts

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey announced legislation and signed an executive order on Jan. 22 aimed at restricting Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting enforcement actions in sensitive locations across Massachusetts, saying recent federal operations have driven families from schools, health care and courthouses and harmed public safety.

"Today, I'm filing legislation to keep ICE out of our schools, day cares, other childcare centers, churches, hospitals, health clinics, and our courthouses," Healey said. She said the executive order signed at the event bars ICE from making civil arrests in non‑public spaces of state buildings, prohibits use of state property to stage immigration‑enforcement activities and blocks state agencies from entering into new 287(g) agreements except where the secretary of public safety certifies an imminent public‑safety need.

Why it matters: Healey and allied state leaders said the presence or threat of federal enforcement at those sites has deterred people from attending school, seeking medical care and participating in court proceedings, with consequences for public health and the criminal justice system. "We have people right now in Massachusetts who are afraid to send their children to school or to daycare," Healey said. District attorneys at the event warned that courthouse enforcement can keep victims and witnesses from coming forward and undermine prosecutions.

Support from the legislature and prosecutors: Senate President Karen Spilka said the Senate stands with the administration and will work to move the proposals quickly, pledging to "engage thoughtfully with the details and consider additional protections." Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker, speaking for prosecutors who were present, quoted a federal judge in arguing that "access to justice cannot coexist with a threat of civil arrest looming over those who enter a courthouse."

Community and service‑provider testimony: Speakers from community organizations, faith groups, school districts and health centers described real‑world effects they attribute to enforcement actions, including families keeping children home from school and patients avoiding preventive or urgent care. Gladys Vega of La Colaborativa and Aomie Abeita, superintendent of Chelsea Schools, urged swift enactment of legal protections and said the actions announced offer hope to affected communities.

Limits and law‑enforcement cooperation: Healey emphasized that the measures do not prevent law enforcement from carrying out criminal investigations when appropriate and said judicial warrants remain the lawful mechanism for arrests. She noted that the state currently maintains a 287(g) agreement with the Department of Correction and said she supports that existing arrangement while barring new agreements absent a certified imminent public‑safety need.

What happens next: The administration filed the legislation and the Senate pledged expedited consideration; the executive order takes immediate effect for covered state agencies. The measures will require further legislative debate and, if bills pass, implementation steps by state departments to codify the declared restrictions.

— Reporting by the Office of the Governor press event; direct quotes and attributions are to speakers present at the event.