Press Release: 8/7/2026

The PROTECT Act

 



The PROTECT Act is a crucial step to establish meaningful protections for Massachusetts residents against ICE abuses.



The PROTECT Act (short for “An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment”) is a ground-breaking, comprehensive bill that consolidates multiple proposals, policies, and executive actions into a unified legislative framework. Led by the Black and Latino Caucus, the legislation focuses on limiting the ways state and local government actors lend assistance to federal immigration authorities while strengthening access to justice and accountability.



The ACLU of Massachusetts works as part of the Protecting Massachusetts Communities (PMC) Coalition to advance legislation and policy to protect immigrants. PMC is chaired by the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition and the Brazilian Workers Center, and includes SEIU State Council, SEIU 32BJ, 1199 SEIU, SEIU 509, Massachusetts Teachers Association, and the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (JALSA).



 




The PROTECT Act will ensure that local law enforcement resources focus on local communities’ needs — not on helping the federal government carry out mass deportations.



The PROTECT Act will:



 




  • Ban future 287(g) agreements, which deputize local police to act as immigration agents, with very limited exceptions.




  • Restrict the use of state and local resources for civil immigration enforcement.




  • Place limits on police communication with ICE.




  • Prohibit police from asking about immigration status except in limited criminal contexts.




  • Ban arrests on civil matters inside and outside Massachusetts courthouses.




  • Ban civil arrests at schools, healthcare facilities, and day care centers.




  • Expand rights and protections for detainees held in Massachusetts jails.




  • Allow individuals to sue state or federal officials in state court for violations of federal constitutional rights.