In the aftermath of the actions of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota, Massachusetts legislators are taking steps to stymie federal law enforcement’s actions in the commonwealth. Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order keeping ICE out of courthouses, schools, childcare programs, hospitals and churches, while Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed an executive order banning ICE enforcement on city property just this week.
But activists are still urging the government to do more. In response, members of the Massachusetts Legislative Black and Latino Caucus are advancing the PROTECT Act, which stands for “promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment.” According to The Flip Side, the legislation would “bar state and local police from cooperating with civil immigration enforcement cases, prevent ICE from detaining immigrants in court houses and bar correctional facilities from entering to agreements with federal immigration enforcement to house detainees.”
Julio Ricardo Varela, MS NOW columnist and founder of The Latino Newsletter, calls it a step in the right direction.
“The Black and Latino Caucus has really done a really good job,” Varela said. “They’ve been listening to the community. This PROTECT Act just didn’t come out of nowhere. Having been in conversations with a lot of community leaders over the last year in the commonwealth, people are hurting. People are scared. I would be very surprised if Beacon Hill doesn’t pass this.”
Meanwhile, the uncertainty about the future of Venezuela — and its oil industry — continues, as the Trump administration moves toward allowing U.S. companies to move into the South American country and begin drilling. Will this “Make Venezuela Great Again” as Trump asserts?
Cristina Silva, managing editor for local news at the Boston Globe, said she’s unsure about the focus of the Trump administration in Venezuela, as they have not addressed the extreme poverty, lack of stable utilities like electricity and running water, and its numerous human rights violations. Still, she says she is hopeful for the country.
“I think many Venezuelans want to be hopeful and optimistic,” Silva said. “Maybe they will see something positive like some of the positive changes we did see happen in Panama after the United States intervened there. But there are not a lot of positive examples of what happens when the US goes into your country. So we’ll see what happens.”
Plus, Bad Bunny makes Grammys history and takes the Super Bowl stage! All that and more on this week’s Latinx news roundtable
Guests
- Julio Ricardo Varela, MS Now columnist, founder of The Latino Newsletter
- Cristina Silva, managing editor for local news at the Boston Globe.
Stories featured in this week’s roundtable
- CNBC: Trump admin to withdraw 700 federal officers from Minnesota: Homan
- MS NOW: The photo of 5-year-old Liam Ramos being detained by ICE is a shameful look for America
- Axios: Healey moves to get ICE out of schools and hospitals
- Axios: Boston quietly prepares for an ICE surge
- The Flip Side: Black and Latino Caucus pushes immigration reform legislation
- BBC: BBC visits oil region at heart of Trump plan to 'Make Venezuela Great Again’
- AP: Bad Bunny wins album of the year at the 2026 Grammy Awards, a first for a Spanish-language album
- El Pais: Andy Borregales, Christian González or Elijah Arroyo: The Latinos who will make Super Bowl history alongside Bad Bunny
