Healey signs the PROTECT Act — and dares Trump to do something about it

Governor Maura Healey signed the PROTECT Act into law Wednesday morning at La Colaborativa in Chelsea, complete with a mariachi band and a room full of lawmakers eager to be photographed near the moment. The law bars ICE agents from making warrantless civil immigration arrests at "sensitive locations" — public schools, daycare centers, hospitals, health clinics, nursing homes, and state courthouses. It also lets parents pre-arrange guardianship for their kids in case they get detained or deported. Healey and her allies are calling it the strongest immigrant-protection law in the country, and this is Beacon Hill's most concrete legislative punch back at the Trump administration yet — bigger than anything they've done on funding fights or reproductive rights.

Why now? Because the stakes stopped being theoretical months ago. A Colombian immigrant living in Biddeford, Maine, was shot and killed by an ICE agent last month during a botched traffic stop, and his family's lawyers say federal officials have gone completely silent on the investigation since. In Chelsea, city officials say fear of ICE has driven down school enrollment and kept people away from doctor's appointments and courthouses — which is exactly the dynamic this law is designed to interrupt. Homeland Security's response was immediate and pointed: a spokesperson accused Massachusetts of "releasing violent criminals" back into communities, previewing the fight to come over enforcement and legal challenges.

What happens next: expect this law to get tested fast. ICE is reportedly shopping for 249 parking spots in downtown Boston to stage vehicles near existing or planned facilities — a plan that Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune and other officials are publicly urging landlords to reject. If ICE finds a landlord willing to sign a five-year lease, that's the kind of standoff that will determine whether this new law has teeth or just talking points.

Full story at GBH News →

Markey-Moulton race tightens with three weeks to go. New FEC filings show Congressman Seth Moulton has out-raised Senator Ed Markey by nearly $1 million since the start of 2025, though the two are neck-and-neck in cash on hand heading into the Sept. 1 primary. Meanwhile, a GBH fact-check knocked down Moulton's debate claim linking Markey to Jeffrey Epstein — the actual email in question was about a Senegalese lobbying matter Epstein was funding, not Epstein himself. Boston.com →

Healey's Parole Board pick draws fire — again. Kaitlyn O'Leary, the parole board's general counsel and a former prosecutor, faced more than ten opponents at a Governor's Council hearing Wednesday who argued the board needs someone with rehabilitation and reentry experience, not another prosecutorial mindset. This is Healey's second attempt to fill the seat after the council rejected her first pick in May. WBUR →

Fall gubernatorial debates are set — sort of. Healey has agreed to two October debates (one on WBZ-TV, one with WCVB/WBUR/Globe), while Republican challenger Mike Minogue has committed to a separate one with Boston 25/GBH/NEPM. Minogue still has to get past rival Brian Shortsleeve in the Sept. 1 GOP primary — recent polling has Healey crushing both at 56 percent. CommonWealth Beacon →

CVS pharmacy workers inch toward a strike. Unionized pharmacists at eight CVS locations — including several in Rhode Island — voted overwhelmingly for a strike sanction this week, citing burnout, understaffing, and stalled contract talks. It's the first of two approvals needed before any walkout, but it's a warning shot for a company facing mounting labor unrest. Boston Globe →

Navy says no to Healey on Lily Jean recovery. The U.S. Navy told Governor Healey it can't help retrieve a hard drive, video recorder, and remains from the sunken fishing vessel Lily Jean, which went down off Cape Ann in January with seven aboard. Healey's office says it's still "hopeful for federal assistance" as the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation. Boston Globe →

Brockton's mayor sues the state over a state trooper's crash. Mayor Moises Rodrigues says a 2025 collision on Route 138 in Raynham — caused, per State Police's own report, by a trooper's "inattention" — left him partially disabled with over $32,000 in medical bills. The lawsuit was filed after the trooper declined an out-of-court settlement. Boston.com →

Sept. 1 is the Massachusetts state primary — including the marquee Markey vs. Moulton Senate showdown. Unenrolled voters (that's most of you) can vote in it. Boston Globe →

Governor's Council is expected to vote soon on Kaitlyn O'Leary's Parole Board nomination after Wednesday's contentious hearing. WBUR →

Healey's desk now has a library-protection bill (S.2696) awaiting her signature, which would shield librarians' collection decisions from political pressure and set new rules for book challenges. Boston.com →

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