BOSTON — Massachusetts Governor Marua Healey is preparing to fight Donald Trump on one of his cornerstone campaign promises when he takes office in January.
The former president and now president-elect has promised sweeping action in a second administration, which he says includes the creation of “the largest mass deportation program in history.”
MSNBC anchor Lawrence O’Donnell asked Healey during a television appearance on Thursday if the Massachusetts State Police would assist in mass deportations if called upon by the Trump administration.
“No, absolutely not,” Healey told O’Donnell. “But let me say this. I do think it’s important that we all recognize that there’s going to be a lot of pressure on states and state officials, and I can assure you, we’re going to work really hard to deliver.”
Healey also told O’Donnell that Trump’s plan will likely be subject to litigation.
“Some realities also need to be noted and that is in 2016, we had a very different situation in the courts. While I’m sure there may be litigation ahead, there are a lot of other ways that people are going to act, and need to act, for the sake of their states and their residents,” Healey explained to O’Donnell. “I think that the key here is that every tool in the toolbox has to be used to protect our citizens, to protect our residents, protect our states, and certainly to hold the line on democracy and the rule of law.”
After speaking at an MBTA event on Friday, Healey told reporters that she’s “not sure what the Trump administration is planning” but hopes the federal government passes a law to secure the southern border.
During an interview with Time Magazine earlier this year, Trump said he’d call on the National Guard as part of efforts to deport millions of migrants across the country if was reelected.
Trump has been short on details of what the deportation program would look like and how he would ensure that it targeted only people in the U.S. illegally.
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