(BOSTON 1/30/2026) — In light of recent events in Minnesota, 23 state senators today sent a letter to Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Campbell urging their offices to prepare and enact proactive measures that will defend the rights of Bay Staters in the event the Trump Administration decides to send a federal operation to the Commonwealth. Countless videos on social media showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Border Patrol officers brutalizing peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights, and the two high-profile killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in the streets of Minneapolis, have sparked a national conversation on these agents’ tactics and goals. The letter, as part of an effort led by Second Worcester District Senator Michael Moore, urges top state officials to establish a task force on investigations of federal immigration actions and abuses, issue guidance to law enforcement, and create an online portal where Bay Staters can submit complaints and evidence.
“The Trump Administration’s willingness to use the power of the federal government to hurt and even kill United States citizens is shocking. Massachusetts must be prepared for the possibility that President Trump unleashes his masked agents on the people of the Commonwealth for having the audacity to stand up to him,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “I’m thrilled that so many of my colleagues understand the seriousness of this situation and joined me to urge the Governor and Attorney General to take steps to protect our people before we’re faced by the crisis we’re seeing in other states. We may not have much power to stop the authoritarian actions of this federal government, but we can certainly be prepared to act if the Constitutional rights of our residents are being violated.”
Recent ICE and Border Patrol operations in Minnesota and Maine show extensive violations of the First and Forth Amendments of the United States Constitution, with repeated actions suppressing the right to free speech and protections against unreasonable search and seizure. Videos on social media and eyewitness accounts show repeated, indiscriminate use of pepper spray and rubber bullets, destruction of property, and excessive use of force by federal officers. Further, in addition to the two US citizens killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, there have been at least nine other shootings by ICE officers since September, and 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025.
The letter states, “without a doubt, state prosecution of federal officials who abuse their authority faces a narrow legal path. Still, with sufficient evidence and will, a state may bring a prosecution against federal officials who violate state criminal law while acting in a manner that is not necessary and proper in the performance of their official federal duties.” It then lays out three actions to prepare to respond to abuses of federal authority in Massachusetts, including:
1. Convene a Rapid Response Task Force
The letter requests that state leaders create a rapid response task force whose purpose is to respond to allegations of federal abuse and ensure the integrity of investigations. Its responsibilities would include coordination between local, state, and federal law enforcement, securing crime scenes, obtaining witness testimony and video evidence, and seeking court orders to preserve evidence obtained by federal officials.
2. Issue Guidance to State and Local Law Enforcement
The Attorney General is urged by the letter to issue guidance to local District Attorneys and police chiefs on their authority to collect evidence of federal agent abuses and secure crime scenes. And further, that the AGO issue guidance for prosecutors on what evidence is necessary to bring a case against a federal agent when appropriate. California released similar guidance this week.
3. Create an Online Mechanism to Receive Complaints and Evidence from Witnesses
The letter urges the Commonwealth to develop a website for residents to file written complaints of misconduct by federal agents and upload evidence via an online portal. This is similar to tip lines created by states like California, Colorado, and Maine.
Although the Trump Administration claims that its immigration actions are meant to protect American citizens and get dangerous criminals off our streets, experts say the aggressive tactics of ICE agents and Border Patrol officers are neither necessary nor effective. Operations in Minneapolis have disrupted the daily lives of residents, and immigration sweeps have caught up many community members who have lived and worked peacefully in the US for sometimes decades. The CATO institute in November released a report that showed just 5% of recent detainees had a violent criminal conviction, and 73% of detainees had no criminal conviction at all. These indiscriminate actions have led to scenes like 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos – whose father has legal status due to an ongoing asylum case – being put into an ICE vehicle and sent to a Texas; or US Citizen ChongLy "Scott" Thao being removed from his home by ICE officials in his underwear in frigid winter temperatures.
Though Governor Healey yesterday announced a proposed set of actions which would, in part, need to be approved by the Legislature, the actions put forth by the senators’ letter can be implemented with only executive orders and internal agency guideline changes.
The letter concludes, “We thank you for your leadership in responding to abuses by the federal government to date, including the initiatives announced yesterday. With accountability now in the hands of state officials, a streamlined and coordinated response to any abuse of federal authority here in the Commonwealth will benefit us all.”
Signatories include Senators Michael Moore, Cindy Friedman, Paul Mark, Patricia Jehlen, Mark Montigny, Jason Lewis, Joan Lovely, John Keenan, Michael Barrett, James Eldridge, Robyn Kennedy, Michael Brady, Rebecca Rausch, Adam Gomez, John Cronin, Paul Feeney, Liz Miranda, Sal DiDomenico, Jacob Oliveira, Pavel Payano, Barry Finegold, Nick Collins, and Michael Rush. The full letter can be viewed online here.
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