Massachusetts tightens shield against ICE enforcement with new PROTECT Act

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the PROTECT Act, a sweeping law that bans warrantless ICE arrests at sensitive locations (courthouses, schools, hospitals), blocks state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and prohibits formal partnerships with ICE, while expanding remedies for constitutional rights violations and boosting protections for people held in state or county facilities. The act, enacted as a way to preserve trust in law enforcement, takes effect immediately and follows high-profile incidents cited by supporters as justification for stronger protections against ICE.