From the Offices of Gov. Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell:
Boston — Gov. Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced on Friday, March 13, the launch of a new online portal that allows Massachusetts residents to report alleged misconduct by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating within the state. The portal is available here.
The portal provides a centralized place for individuals, families, attorneys, and community members to document incidents involving members of ICE, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal agencies that enforce civil immigration laws. The portal is designed to help the state identify patterns of potential misconduct, support affected residents, and inform possible legal or policy actions by the state.
“We’ve seen across the country and here in Massachusetts that the tactics of ICE under the Trump administration have been putting everyone at risk. The people of Massachusetts deserve to know that their rights will be respected, their safety protected, and their concerns about misconduct taken seriously,” said Gov. Healey. “This new reporting portal will help us gather information, support residents, and ensure federal agents operating in our state are following the law.”
“The core duty of law enforcement, including federal law enforcement, is to keep our communities safe. But what we have seen from ICE in recent months across the country is the opposite: aggressive and reckless tactics that spread fear and chaos in our communities,” said Attorney General Campbell. “As my office works to ensure residents are protected and have access to the legal assistance they need, I encourage everyone to use this new reporting portal if they see concerning ICE activity in their communities.”
“I commend Gov. Healey and Attorney General Campbell for creating this portal,” said Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy Shugrue. “The recent actions of ICE breeched citizens’ constitutional rights and created chaos in communities. Gov. Healey has already taken proactive measures to protect Massachusetts’ residents from this rogue agency, including the steps outlined in her January executive action and legislation. I believe this portal will provide additional support and resources for those harmed by unlawful actions of ICE. Additionally, the portal will serve as a tool for citizens who witness suspected unlawful actions of ICE but are unclear of where or how to report them.”
The portal will allow members of the public to share information about incidents involving potentially unlawful activity by federal agents in Massachusetts, including videos and photographs. Information submitted through the portal may help the state identify patterns of potential misconduct, inform possible legal action or policy recommendations, and connect affected residents with legal advocacy organizations.
Also on Friday, Attorney General Campbell released updated “Know Your Rights” guidance designed to help immigrants, families, and communities understand their rights and the basic legal framework for ICE actions. Notably, the updated guidance includes timely information about holding federal immigration officials accountable, the role of CBP given their increased activity in recent ICE surges, the rights of protestors, and new executive orders at the state and local level. The updated guidance can be found on the Office of the Attorney General’s Immigrant Resources webpage and read in its entirety here.
The launch of the portal follows several actions taken by Gov. Healey to hold ICE accountable and to increase transparency and accountability around federal immigration enforcement in Massachusetts.
Earlier this week, Gov. Healey requested that Signature Aviation stop supporting deportation flights out of Hanscom Field in Massachusetts. She also demanded that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE provide greater transparency and accurate information regarding immigration arrests and detention practices in Massachusetts, including information about who is being detained, the legal basis for those arrests, and where individuals have been taken and are being held.
In addition, the governor has filed legislation to prohibit ICE operations in sensitive locations such as courthouses, schools, child care programs, hospitals, and places of worship, and signed an executive order requiring judicial warrants for entry into non-public areas of state facilities, limiting the use of state resources for civil immigration enforcement, and restricting participation in federal 287(g) agreements absent a clear public safety need.
