Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey says 'reform needed at border' despite deportation opposition

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey is doubling down on her stance that she lacks immigration enforcement authority, calling for President-elect Trump to make good on his border-related promises.

Days after Healey told MSNBC the Massachusetts State Police wouldn’t assist in mass deportation efforts, the governor reappeared on the television news channel and expanded on her comments.

“It is up to the new Trump administration and federal authorities to figure out how they’re going to implement and what they’re going to implement when it comes to immigration enforcement,” Healey told anchor Jen Psaki Monday night.

“We’ve got to see what President-elect Trump actually does,” the governor added, “because it’s one thing to make a bunch of promises and statements during … a campaign, it’s another thing to actually operationalize and implement.”

Trump has said deporting the 11 million people estimated to be in the country illegally will be a top goal when he regains office in January. The president-elect has appointed Thomas Homan as “border czar” to lead those efforts.

Homan, a former acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told FOX News last Friday that it doesn’t matter whether or not states cooperate, deportations will happen regardless.

“If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way, we’re going to do it,” Homan said. “What it means is, rather than send 100 people to Boston, we’re going to send 200 agents to Boston. We’re going to get the job done.”

Healey, again, blasted Trump for “blowing up” a bipartisan border bill last spring which she said would have helped address the federal problem.

“We need reform at the border,” she told Psaki. “We need more agents. We need to cut down on federal trafficking. We need more resources there. So as a governor of a state, I have no immigration enforcement authority; I sure hope there is attention paid.”

Massachusetts State Police has said helping Trump’s deportation push is not part of its mission.

Illegal immigrants with criminal convictions or charges will be the immediate focus of the effort, Homan has said.

As attorney general, Healey sued the previous Trump administration nearly 100 times. She told Psaki that her administration would “certainly stand up and fight” if the incoming administration “interferes with what are states’ rights” including abortion protection and access to public education and health care.

“What Americans and people in Massachusetts are looking for are sensible, commonsense ways forward, right? Not vilification, not scaring the hell out of people,” the governor said.

“We have students here, we have families here, some who have been here for decades who may not be here lawfully, they’re working,” she added. “I mean, I don’t know what the president is going to do or the impact of that on the economy.”

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