Immigrant Rights’ Coalition Celebrates Enactment of PROTECT ACT

Gov. Maura Healey today signed the PROTECT Act, which seeks to curtail the federal government’s brutal immigration enforcement activities, protect due process, and limit local agencies’ cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The Protecting Massachusetts Communities Coalition has been advocating for this bill for more than a year, and celebrates its passage as an important step in supporting and improving public safety for all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of immigration status.

The Protecting Massachusetts Communities Coalition offers its deepest thanks to House and Senate leadership for their support of the bill, and to the six-member conference committee for carefully reconciling the two versions. The coalition also extends special thanks to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus for their work on the bill, and to Governor Maura Healey for her steadfast support of the bill’s principles and signing this bill into law.

Members of the coalition shared the following remarks.

Lenita Reason, executive director of the Brazilian Worker Center:

‘’The PROTECT Act becoming law is a historic milestone driven by the advocacy of immigrant communities and coalition partners across Massachusetts. On behalf of our immigrant communities that live in fear, I want to thank the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus for their initiative and leadership in drafting the PROTECT Act, and for working with the community and all other allies to improve it—making sure that the voices of directly impacted families were heard.

We thank Senate President Karen Spilka, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, and all elected officials who voted in favor of this legislation, and we thank Governor Maura Healey, who signed it into law. Their leadership, together with the voices of our communities, has made Massachusetts a stronger and more welcoming home for all."

Liz Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition:

“Today marks a historic victory for our Commonwealth. The PROTECT Act becoming law solidifies a commitment to protecting immigrant communities, ensuring due process, and upholding fundamental civil rights. The crucial safeguards the PROTECT law provides by establishing legal accountability for federal overreach and ensuring local police do not act as immigration agents will keep our neighborhoods safe. Our schools, courthouses, and hospitals will once again become places of safety and trust. We are incredibly grateful to Governor Healey, Senate President Spilka, House Speaker Mariano, the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, as well as all legislators and the countless advocates who fought tirelessly to deliver these vital protections for all our immigrant neighbors.”

Carol Rose, executive director at the ACLU of Massachusetts:

“Massachusetts has sent a powerful message to the Trump administration: We will not stand idly by while ICE agents tear apart families and shatter our communities. The PROTECT Act will help to establish a firewall between Massachusetts law enforcement and federal immigration officials, ensuring that local police are not co-opted by President Trump's cruel political agenda. Importantly, the law will also support access to courts for everyone and bolster trust in local institutions. We thank Governor Healey, Senate President Spilka, House Speaker Mariano, and the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, among others, for their leadership and dedication. We also thank the many immigrant advocates who worked for many years to make this day a reality. Finally, we thank our partners in the Protecting Massachusetts Communities coalition for their steadfast commitment to this cause.”

Kevin Brown, executive vice president of 32BJ SEIU:

“As immigrant communities everywhere suffer from the profiling, scapegoating, and lethal brutality of the Trump administration, the Massachusetts district our majority-immigrant union is enormously grateful and heartened to see the PROTECT Act passed and signed into law. The key components highlighted in this bill — limiting location cooperation with ICE, protecting sensitive areas from immigration enforcement, and enforcing a ban on new 287(g) agreements — are significant and actionable steps necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our immigrant communities and all state residents. We applaud the Legislature and the Governor for their action and their steadfast support.”

Cari Medina, executive vice president for 1199SEIU:

“As more families are pushed into crisis, detention, or deportation by the Trump administration, 1199ers applaud the passage of the PROTECT Act that will help keep our communities safer” said Cari Medina, 1199SEIU executive vice president. “The PROTECT Act will also help protect our healthcare system, ensuring immigrant caregivers remain in the jobs they love, and patients can access care without fear. We applaud the Governor and Massachusetts legislature for their leadership and continued efforts to utilize every tactic to ensure immigrants can thrive in the place they call home.”

Cindy Rowe, president & CEO of Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action:

“This is a shameful time for our country. ICE's ongoing lawlessness and cruelty, and the heartless deportation regime, run directly counter to the shared values of people of faith. I'm proud that here in Massachusetts, our Legislature has said clearly that we will no longer enable ICE's campaign of fear, tearing apart families and communities. Our sacred scriptures tell us that we must ‘welcome the stranger.’ This advice was good enough to have lasted for literally thousands of years, and it's sound advice for us to follow now. I'm grateful that our elected officials agree.”

Matt Bach and Deb Gesualdo, president and vice president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association:

"The MTA proudly celebrates the signing of the PROTECT Act into law, a significant achievement made possible by the dedicated efforts of organizers, lawmakers, educators, families, and supporters across Massachusetts. While this milestone is important, our work is far from finished. We remain committed to ensuring that our immigrant students and their families feel safe and supported in our communities and public schools, colleges and universities. Educators must have all of their students present and secure in class, ready to engage in the learning process. We look forward to collaborating with our partner organizations to continue Massachusetts' leadership in protecting and empowering immigrant students."

Dave Foley, president of SEIU Local 509:

“Across the country, the Trump administration has escalated its repressive and violent attacks on immigrant workers and families. The PROTECT Act is a critical step in establishing guardrails in Massachusetts that reinforces protections for immigrant communities by banning any new 287(g) agreements and limiting local cooperation with ICE. It helps ensure our communities remain places of safety and trust, not fear. SEIU 509 members know that when immigrant workers and families are targeted, our workplaces, our communities, and the people we serve are all affected. We applaud the advocacy of our partner organizations and elected officials for standing with our immigrant neighbors, and we are committed to continue the fight for dignity and safety for all.”

Protecting Massachusetts Communities (PMC) is a coalition working to advance legislation and policy to protect immigrants. PMC is chaired by the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition and the Brazilian Workers Center, and includes the ACLU of Massachusetts, SEIU State Council, 32BJ SEIU , 1199 SEIU, SEIU 509, Massachusetts Teachers Association, and the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (JALSA).