OAN Staff James Meyers
10:09 AM – Friday, November 8, 2024
Massachusetts Democrat Governor Maura Healey says she will “absolutely not” be cooperating with the expected mass deportation movement by the incoming Trump administration, warning that she will use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect” residents in the state.
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This comes after Healey was asked on MSNBC on Wednesday whether the Massachusetts State Police would assist the federal government in the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed throughout his campaign that he will launch the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history” to deport millions of illegal immigrants.
“Following the Eisenhower Model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” Trump said during the campaign.
However, Healey stated where she stands on the issue.
“No. Absolutely not,” she said when asked if state police would help the administration.
“I do think it is important that we all recognize that there is going to be a lot of pressure on states and state officials. I can assure you we’re going to work hard to deliver,” she said.
Healey is also known for launching multiple lawsuits against the last Trump administration as attorney general of the state indicating a lot of resistance could be on the horizon in 2025, including litigation and the use of regulation and executive authority.
“Some realities need to be noted and that is in 2016, we had a different situation in the courts, and I am sure there may be litigation ahead, there is a lot of other ways people are going to act and need to act for the sake of their states and residents,” she said. “There’s regulatory authority and executive powers and the like, there’s legislation also within our state.”
“So I think the key here is that, you know, every tool in the tool box has got to be used to protect our citizens, to protect our residents and protect our states and to hold the line on democracy and the rule of law as a basic principle.”
Meanwhile, the Bay State has been one of a number of states that have been overwhelmed by the migrant surge coming from the southern border.
In 2023, she declared a state of emergency due to the influx and called for federal action. She also claimed that the state’s policies may be a draw for migrants.
“Many of these families are migrants to Massachusetts, drawn here because we are and proudly have been a beacon to those in need,” she wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
She also put the blame on “a confusing tangle of immigration laws, an inability for migrants to obtain work authorization from the federal government, an increase in the number of people coming to Massachusetts, and the lack of an affordable housing supply in our state.”
Healey also called for Mayorkas to get on Congress and use executive action to remove barriers for work permits for migrants, “address our outdated and punitive immigration laws” and to provide additional financial assistance to the state.
Massachusetts has prioritized work authorizations, job training, English classes and housing assistance for migrants. The state announced earlier this year that it has helped 3,785 migrants apply for work authorization, and enrolled more than 1,100 in English classes.
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