BOSTON — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Thursday unveiled new statewide guidance outlining how schools, child care providers, colleges, health care facilities, and places of worship should respond to interactions with federal immigration authorities.
During a news conference at the State House in Boston, Healey announced the guidance is designed to help organizations across Massachusetts protect access to essential services, understand their legal rights, and prepare staff in case U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrive on site.
The rollout follows an executive order Healey signed earlier this year that set limits on how immigration enforcement can be carried out on state property. That order prohibits new 287(g) agreements, which allow local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE, bars federal agents from conducting civil immigration arrests in nonpublic areas of state facilities, and prevents the use of state property for immigration-enforcement staging.
State officials say the new guidance builds on those protections by offering clear direction for frontline institutions serving residents across the Commonwealth.
The guidance emphasizes that federal immigration agents cannot enter nonpublic areas of state facilities, such as classrooms, offices, dormitories, or private health care spaces, without a valid judicial warrant. It also clarifies that administrative warrants issued by ICE or the Department of Homeland Security do not authorize access to those restricted areas.
Organizations are encouraged to establish clear internal protocols, including designating trained staff or administrators to handle any interactions with federal agents, requiring legal review of warrants, and documenting all encounters. Officials also stress the importance of protecting sensitive information, including student records and patient health data, unless disclosure is legally required.
For health care providers, the guidance underscores that patient care must remain the top priority and that private communication between patients and providers must be protected. Places of worship are advised to clearly define public and nonpublic spaces, establish visitor policies, and avoid sharing congregants’ personal information unless required by law.
Healey said the goal is to ensure that residents can access essential services without fear. The guidance released includes the following recommendations:
Schools, child care providers, and higher education institutions
- Routing interactions with federal immigration officers through designated administrators or trained staff
- Requiring legal review of warrants or requests for access before taking action
- Declining access to nonpublic areas, including classrooms, offices, and dormitories, unless presented with a valid judicial warrant or judicial order
- Protecting confidential student and family information unless disclosure is legally required
- Documenting interactions and following internal reporting protocols
Health care providers and facilities
- Prioritizing patient care above all else
- Protecting confidential health information and ensuring private communication between patients and providers
- Establishing internal reporting and escalation pathways
- Documenting any interactions that could affect the delivery of care
Places of worship
- Designating a primary point of contact for interactions with federal immigration officers
- Requiring a valid judicial warrant or court order before allowing entry into nonpublic areas, including offices, classrooms, nurseries, and other restricted spaces
- Clearly identifying and marking public and nonpublic areas, including posting signage and defining any restrictions on access to buildings, parking areas, or events
- Developing written policies and visitor protocols
- Refraining from sharing personal information about congregants, staff, or volunteers unless legally required
- Documenting any interactions with federal immigration officers and following internal reporting protocols
- Ensuring staff, volunteers, and congregants understand their rights, including the right to remain silent, consult an attorney, and document enforcement activity from a safe distance
- Conducting Know Your Rights trainings and educating congregants about available legal resources
“People in Massachusetts should be able to live their lives — go to school, drop their kids off at child care, see a doctor — without fear. That is fundamental,” Healey said. “We are setting clear expectations so providers know how to respond, how to protect their communities, and how to keep their doors open to everyone who needs care and support.”
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll added that the guidance provides critical tools to help organizations continue serving families, students, and patients.
State education leaders emphasized that the guidelines reinforce protections for students and aim to ensure schools remain safe and accessible. Health officials echoed that message, warning that fear of immigration enforcement could deter people from seeking necessary medical care, with broader impacts on public health.
The Healey Administration says it is working with state agencies to help implement the guidance, including providing training and resources for organizations statewide.
Officials have also proposed legislation to limit ICE activity in courthouses, schools, hospitals, and other sensitive locations, and launched an online portal for residents to report alleged misconduct.
The Healey Administration says it has also connected thousands of immigrants with legal services and provided robust multilingual resources for communities and employers.
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