Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey is making it clear that her state is not a sanctuary state despite eight Massachusetts cities, including Boston and Cambridge, declaring sanctuary status. Sanctuary policies are designed to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, with the primary goal of protecting immigrants who are in the country illegally from being detained or deported by federal authorities.
Healey sat down for an interview with WBZ-TV in Boston earlier this week.
“We’re seeing the number of migrant families coming into Massachusetts go way down,” Healey said. “That’s good because I’ve also sent the message: Massachusetts, we are not a sanctuary state. If you come here, there is not housing.”
In August 2023, Healey declared a state of emergency due to the influx of migrants in her state. At the time, she called on the Biden administration to help provide funding and work releases for arriving migrant families as the state’s shelter capacity was maxing out.