Dem governor backs ICE arresting 'criminals' despite vowing to use 'every tool' against Trump deportations

The Democratic governor of Massachusetts signaled her support for arresting criminal illegal immigrants, saying she supports "the apprehension of criminals in our communities" 

The arrests come as the Trump administration moves rapidly to fulfill its promise to launch a historic mass deportation operation, which it has said will focus primarily - but not exclusively - on public safety threats.

Addressing the arrests, Healey said she "wouldn't describe them as raids," but instead, "what it seems to be, and what we expected and what I support, which is the apprehension of criminals in our communities."

"I still remain opposed on efforts to target large swaths of an undocumented population who've done nothing wrong other than they're here without lawful presence," she said.

Healey has taken a slightly more centrist position on immigration enforcement in recent months.

At the time, she commented that Trump now has the opportunity to fix the border and said, "I hope he does."

She has taken to social media several times this week to express her anger over Trump's immigration decisions, saying in one X post that "State & local law enforcement cannot be commandeered for federal immigration enforcement. Despite what President Trump may think, he doesn't have the authority to unilaterally rewrite our Constitution."

"State AGs won't hesitate to respond if his threats become illegal actions," she said.

Meanwhile, Republican state Representatives Michael Soter and Kenneth Sweezey introduced a bill on Friday, titled "An Act to promote and protect safety in the Commonwealth," which would empower local and state law enforcement to more fully cooperate with ICE.

"The immigration issue in Massachusetts has gotten completely out of control," Sweezey said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. "This piece of legislation is a very simple, common-sense first step in rectifying part of the issue."