BOSTON — A pair of Republicans challenging Democratic Gov. Maura Healey in next year’s gubernatorial election are vowing to push for a statewide ban on “sanctuary” policies if elected, arguing that the state’s immigrant-friendly laws have made it a magnet for the undocumented.
Republicans Mike Kennealy, who served as former Gov. Charlie Baker’s housing and economic development secretary, and Brian Shortsleeve, a former MBTA head and venture capitalist, are vying for the GOP’s nomination to challenge Healey next year.
Healey, who was elected in 2022, hasn’t formally launched her reelection campaign but recently said she plans to seek another four-year term.
On the campaign trial, Shortsleeve has focused on the migrant crisis and called on Healey to ban “sanctuary” policies and cooperate with federal law enforcement. He alleges the governor’s “coddling” has resulted in countless preventable violent crimes and cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
“Law enforcement must be able to do their job, and it is best that it is done cooperatively with local officials,” he said. “To continue to offer protection and sanctuary to criminal illegal immigrants is an invitation for the federal government to take upon themselves the job of enforcing the law and protecting our residents.”
Kennealy, who oversaw the state’s shelter system during the Baker administration, has also focused on immigration issues, saying if elected he will work with the Democratic-controlled Legislature to ban sanctuary policies that “protect criminal illegal immigrants.” He vowed to cooperate with the feds “to remove them from our shelters, our streets, and our state.”
“Unlike Gov. Healey, I won’t pick political fights with Washington to score political points,” Kennealy said in a recent statement. “I will collaborate with the federal government to strengthen our public safety, protect our communities, and ensure Massachusetts is no longer a sanctuary for lawlessness.”
Massachusetts doesn’t have a law declaring itself a sanctuary state. In 2017, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that state law doesn’t give local police the authority to detain people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally unless that person faces criminal charges.
Several communities, including Boston and Lawrence, have local ordinances restricting cooperation with federal officials seeking undocumented immigrants on so-called ICE detainers, which can be either criminal or civil.
But the state Department of Corrections is part of the federal 287(g) program, which allows prison wardens to turn over criminal suspects sought by federal immigration agents on ICE detainers.
Healey, a former state attorney general, has pushed back on claims by the state’s Republicans and the Trump administration that Massachusetts is a de-facto “sanctuary” state and says law enforcement officials aren’t allowing dangerous undocumented criminals to be released into the community.
As governor, she also pushed through reforms to the state’s emergency shelter system in response to a surge of migrants that cost the state nearly $1 billion last year. Those reforms included setting a 30-day limit on stays in shelter sites and reducing the maximum stay from nine to six consecutive months.
Under the state’s “right-to-shelter” law, Massachusetts is required to provide emergency housing and food to homeless families, including asylum seekers and other legal immigrants.
In May, New Hampshire’s Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a bill prohibiting “sanctuary” policies and requiring local law enforcement to hold suspects sought by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for deportation for up to 48 hours.
At a signing ceremony, Ayotte jabbed at neighboring Massachusetts over “sanctuary” policies in several cities and towns, including Boston. She held up a sign reading “Don’t Mass Up NH” – a slogan she used during her gubernatorial run last year.
Republican President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April directing Homeland Security to compile a nationwide list of “sanctuary” jurisdictions where local law enforcement restricts cooperation with federal immigration agents.
Trump’s order accuses some state and local officials of engaging in a “lawless insurrection against the supremacy of federal law” by obstructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Earlier this month, the federal agency posted a list that included Massachusetts and 12 cities and towns, including Boston, Chelsea, Lawrence, Cambridge, Springfield, Amherst and Northampton, it says have “sanctuary” laws on the books.
But the list was taken down less than a day later, reportedly after county sheriffs complained about their jurisdictions being included.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.