Donald Trump supporters demonstrated outside the Massachusetts State House on Sunday in support of the president-elect’s immigration policy, which aims to deport illegal immigrants from the United States on a massive scale. They also criticized Governor Healey, whom they accused of misusing state resources to benefit undocumented immigrants.
Massachusetts is known as a “sanctuary” state, welcoming thousands of immigrants.
The protest was also an opportunity for Donald Trump’s supporters to denounce Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, who recently stated that state police would not assist federal authorities in deporting undocumented immigrants.
For the protesters, it’s essential that the next president has the opportunity to fully enforce his immigration policy with the collaboration of all governors, in order to guarantee the interests of the United States.
“We want the border closed,” shouted one protester into a megaphone, echoing the sentiment shared by many participants. “America first…,” echoed another protester.
“The immigrants should all be out of here,” said another participant. “Why should we have to pay for them? They put them up in hotels and everything. Everybody’s upset! They give so much money to these illegals and nothing to the veterans, nothing to our own homeless,” lamented one protester, very upset with the Healey-Driscoll administration.
For the demonstrators, the rally was an opportunity to celebrate Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. His triumph came as a major surprise in Massachusetts, a state traditionally favored by Democrats. The high number of votes Trump won in the state fueled their celebration, with many supporters keen to highlight what they perceive as a change in the local political landscape. They expressed support for Trump’s immigration agenda, seeing stopping illegal immigration as essential to securing America’s interests.
Among the crowd, Steve Kozlowski of Quincy explained that Trump’s stance on immigration was one of the main reasons he voted for him. Kozlowski expressed frustration with the resources he believes are unfairly allocated to undocumented immigrants rather than U.S. citizens. “They should all be out of here,” he declared. “Why should we have to pay for them? They put them up in hotels and everything. Everybody’s upset! They give so much money to these illegals and nothing to veterans, nothing to our own homeless.”
Governor Maura Healey’s recent statement that the Massachusetts State Police would not participate in mass deportation efforts has only intensified the frustration of Trump supporters. In an interview last Wednesday, Healey publicly opposed any involvement of state law enforcement in deportation efforts, highlighting the gulf between state and federal approaches to immigration policy and heightening tensions between her administration and Trump supporters.
Many protesters interpreted Healey’s remarks as indicative of the broader ideological divide between Democrats and Republicans on immigration enforcement.
Guy Harper, another protester quoted by WCVB, openly criticized Healey. “The governor doesn’t want to use the state police to enforce President Trump’s policies,” Harper said. “It shows how brainwashed Liberals and Democrats are.” Harper’s statement reflects the belief of many Trump supporters that Democrats are out of touch with the wishes of the American people, particularly on immigration issues.
While Trump supporters see mass deportation of illegal immigrants as necessary to maintain national security and support American citizens, the issue raises questions about the role of the state versus federal authority in immigration enforcement. Todd McGhee, a former Massachusetts state trooper, pointed to the potential for legal complications. In his view, the issue could lead to significant litigation at the state level. “This issue could be politicized,” he told WCVB. “It will be up to each state to determine how law enforcement will interact with federal officials on these detention requests,” he added.
The legal implications of Trump’s deportation policies will likely vary across the country, depending on the stance of each state’s leadership. Massachusetts, under Governor Healey, appears poised to oppose federal deportation efforts, potentially creating a conflict between state and federal priorities. The decision to refuse state police involvement could inspire similar actions in other states led by Democratic governors. As McGhee noted, if disputes between state and federal policies are brought to court, they could result in landmark decisions that further shape the country’s immigration policy landscape.
While support for Trump’s immigration policies was clear among the protesters, the issue remains divisive in Massachusetts and across the country.
Many citizens, including those not present at the rally, question the feasibility and morality of mass deportations. Critics argue that the costs associated with large-scale deportations would be prohibitive, and that the social impact on immigrant communities would be devastating. Some immigration experts also believe that deportation alone is unlikely to solve the wider problems associated with undocumented immigrants.
However, protesters remained steadfast in their belief that the new administration’s approach would ultimately benefit American citizens, by reallocating resources to those in need and reducing the financial burden associated with undocumented immigrants. They expressed hope that Trump’s policies would remedy what they perceive as years of lax immigration enforcement that have strained public services.
While this group of protesters clearly supports Trump, his immigration agenda is likely to face considerable obstacles. With states like Massachusetts refusing to participate in deportation efforts, the Trump administration could face difficulties implementing uniform enforcement across the country. Regardless of party affiliation, both supporters and critics of Trump’s immigration policies recognize that implementing mass deportation would be complex, costly and likely subject to significant legal challenges.
This article is written by Emmanuel Paul from an article published by WCVB. Quotations may differ slightly from the article published in English by Reuters, which you can consult by clicking on the link below.
https://www.wcvb.com/article/trump-protest-hanson/62662958