Boston Globe Article Highlights Newly-Filed Republican Caucus ICE Detainer Legislation

The Boston Globe is highlighting legislation filed by the House and Senate Republican Caucus that would authorize state and municipal law enforcement and court officers to honor federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests.

Reporter Niki Griswold’s article focuses on HD4217, An Act empowering law enforcement to cooperate with the United States to transfer custody of convicted criminals, which was filed by House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-NorthReading), and its companion Senate bill (SD726), which was filed by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). The bills allow for the detainment of individuals for possible immigration violations for up to 12 hours upon receipt of a written request and warrant from ICE. This authorization is limited to ICE detainer requests for individuals who pose a threat to public safety for engaging in, or being suspected of engaging in, specific crimes, including terrorism or espionage, criminal street gang activity, sexual abuse or exploitation, human trafficking, unlawful firearm possession, and drug distribution or trafficking.

Also highlighted in the article is related legislation filed by Representatives Michael Soter (R-Bellingham) and Kenneth Sweezey (R-Pembroke) allowing for detainer requests to be honored for up to 36 hours. Each of these bills are a direct response to the 2017 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) ruling in Lunn v.Commonwealth, which determined that current state law does not provide the authority for complying with ICE requests to detain individuals otherwise entitled to release, leaving it up to the Legislature to enact such authority if deemed necessary.

Rep. Muradian Named to Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) has appointed State Representative David K. Muradian, Jr. (R-Grafton) to serve as his designee on a special legislative commission charged with exploring potential opportunities for collaboration and consolidation among the Department of Correction, county sheriffs, the Massachusetts Parole Board, and the Office of Community Corrections, which serves as the Massachusetts Probation Service’s intermediate sanction department.

Created as an outside section of the Fiscal Year 2025 state budget, the 20-member Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration will study the distribution of responsibilities and oversight of the state’s correctional facilities, houses of correction and jails, while taking into consideration possible alternatives to ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability of these facilities and finding ways to reduce taxpayer costs, particularly for those facilities that are operating below capacity.

As part of its undertaking, the commission will consider evidence-based rehabilitative programming for incarcerated persons and the value of community-integrated reentry support services, along with the role that community organizations play in reentry services. It will also weigh the advantages of using local facilities for pretrial confinement and short incarcerations, as well as for supporting family and community connections.

“The special commission has a unique opportunity to review the Commonwealth’s existing correctional system model and to consider ways to improve on it,” said Representative Jones. “I am confident that David will work closely with his fellow commission members to develop a proposal that will ensure that the system runs more efficiently and effectively, while also improving prisoner rehabilitation outcomes and delivering savings for taxpayers.”

Co-chaired by Senator William Brownsberger (D-Belmont) and Representative Daniel J. Hunt (D-Boston, the commission consists of nine voting members, including Representative Muradian, and 11 non-voting members. The voting members include six legislators and three gubernatorial appointees with experience in management, public finance, correctional policies and procedures or reentry and rehabilitative programming.

Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald, Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi, and Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane are among the 11 non-voting members serving on the commission, which will also include the commissioner of probation or their designee, and three members appointed by Governor Maura Healey, including one retired correction officer, one social worker or other licensed mental health professional, and one retired Massachusetts judge. Another four non-voting members will be appointed by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, including one prisoners’ rights advocate, one formerly incarcerated person whose sentence was served in a state correctional facility, one formerly incarcerated person whose sentence was served in a county correctional facility, and one member with expertise or experience in healthcare for incarcerated persons.

The commission will submit a report of its findings and recommendations by September 30, 2026.

First elected to the House of Representatives in 2014, Representative Muradian represents the Ninth Worcester District communities of Grafton, Northbridge and Upton.

Representative Marcus Vaughn Appointed to Special Working Group on Youth Sports

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) has appointed State Representative Marcus S. Vaughn (R-Wrentham) to serve as his designee on a special legislative panel charged with examining the current state of youth sports in Massachusetts.

Created as part of the 2024 economic development bill, the Special Working Group on Youth Sports will make recommendations on changes to the regulations governing youth sports in the Commonwealth. Among the changes to be considered is setting limits on the maximum number of participation hours within each sport during a specified time period for youth athletes; the licensing of businesses and coaches, including the possibility of waiving licensing fees under certain circumstances to promote access to participation; and improvements to player safety standards, including concussion protocols and athletic trainer requirements.

“Youth sports is all about learning the fundamentals of the game and building teamwork, but more importantly it is about having fun and being safe,” said Representative Jones. “Marcus’ own experiences as a former high school football player and as the father of three children who are active in sports will help guide him as the working group develops recommendations to improve the youth sports experience for all young athletes.”

The 14-member working group will be led by the chair of the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission. In addition to six legislative appointees, the working group will also include seven members appointed by Governor Maura Healey who will each have experience and expertise in youth sports.

The working group is required to hold at least three hearings to solicit public input. Its final report and recommendations are to be filed no later than 120 days after its third public hearing.

First elected in November of 2022, Representative Vaughn is currently serving his second term as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He represents the 9th Norfolk District, which consists of Precincts 3 and 4 in Medfield; Precinct 1in Millis; Precinct 5 in Walpole; and the towns of Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham.

House Minority Leader Jones’ Statement on Governor Healey’s FY2026 Budget Proposal

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) released the following statement after Governor Maura Healey’s Fiscal Year 2026 state budget proposal was filed today:

“Governor Healey has filed a Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal that increases spending by 2.6% over the current fiscal year but does so by relying on almost $1 billion in one-time revenues, at a time when we can ill afford to embark on a path of untenable state spending increases absent a reliable funding source. The continued financial drain caused by the unchecked emergency assistance shelter program, coupled with the ongoing uncertainty over the robustness of monthly tax revenues, makes it imperative that the state set clear and sustainable priorities to protect the interests of the taxpayers and ensure that state government is operating both efficiently and effectively. During the previous budget cycle, Governor Healey was forced to implement mid-year 9C cuts due to lower-than-anticipated revenues, causing major disruption in state programs and local projects that were relying on that funding. That is a situation we should strive not to repeat. The Administration is fortunate to have had surplus Millionaires Tax revenues at its disposal to help pay for various transportation and education-related initiatives, but we cannot expect that trend to continue, as it is only putting off the day of reckoning. Now is not the time to undertake significant spending commitments, but to focus on meaningful reforms, including the series of legislative and administrative proposals recently put forth by the House and Senate Republican caucuses to restore fiscal certainty, accountability and stability to the state’s emergency shelter program. The members of the House Republican Caucus look forward to reviewing the Governor’s budget proposal in greater detail and actively participating in the upcoming Ways and Means hearing process to gain a better understanding of her plans and how we can improve upon them.”

Honoring the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Remembering His Enduring Legacy

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” – Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a visionary and a man of peace who dedicated his life to advocating for justice and equality for all. The Massachusetts House Republican Caucus honors Dr. King’s enduring legacy of bringing about positive societal change through non-violent means. His life and work serve as a shining example of how one individual can make a difference in challenging unjust policies and working towards change that benefits all.

Rep. Marcus Vaughn Delivers GOP Response to Governor Healey's State of the State Address

State Representative Marcus S. Vaughn (R-Wrentham) delivered the official GOP response to Governor Maura Healey’s annual State of the State address last night. Vaughn called out the governor for painting “a rosy picture of our Commonwealth” that “fell short of reality” at a time when “Massachusetts faces a crisis of affordability, with an unsustainable cost of living driving a mass exodus of residents.”

You can watch Vaughn’s State of the State response here and read additional media coverage from Chris Van Buskirk in the Boston Herald, Sam Drysdale at the State House News Service, and Stephen Peterson of The Sun Chronicle.

Governor Calls for Additional Emergency Shelter Assistance Reforms in Supplemental Budget

On June 6, Governor Maura Healey filed a supplemental spending plan which includes a modest proposal to reduce emergency shelter stays from nine months to six months, but also seeks an additional $425 million in funding for the EA system, which is costing Massachusetts taxpayers over $1 billion a year.

Yesterday, barely 24 hours after House and Senate Republicans unveiled a comprehensive reform package to address the state’s ongoing migrant and shelter crisis, Governor Healey submitted a letter to Democratic leadership urging them to add a series of reforms to her supplemental budget proposal, in what House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. described as a case of “damage control” by the Healey-Driscoll Administration. Some of these changes align with reforms that House and Senate Republicans have been consistently advocating for over the last two years, including the establishment of a minimum residency requirement to access these services and the expansion of criminal background checks.

To read more about the Governor’s new request, along with Republicans’ reactions, be sure to check out the latest coverage by Chris Van Buskirk of the Boston Herald, Sam Doran of the State House News Service, John Micek of MassLive, Matt Stout and Emma Platoff of the Boston Globe, and the Associated Press.

Representative Frost Discusses GOP Shelter Reform Package with Dan Rea on ‘Nightside’

Representative Paul K. Frost (R-Auburn) was a guest on WBZ Radio’s “Nightside” program last night, where he and host Dan Rea discussed the House and Senate Republicans’ comprehensive proposal to reform the state’s emergency shelter system to restore fiscal responsibility and accountability to the program. Be sure to check out the “Nightside” podcast featuring the interview here. The discussion with Representative Frost begins at the 9:08 mark.

House and Senate Republicans Unveil Comprehensive Reform Package to Address Massachusetts' Migrant and Shelter Crisis

Members of the House and Senate Republican caucuses held a joint press conference at the State House today to outline a series of administrative and legislative proposals aimed at addressing the migrant crisis and the ongoing problems occurring within the state’s emergency assistance family shelter program. The GOP package focuses on transparency, accountability, public safety and fiscal responsibility, with the proposed reforms designed to address both short-term and long-term challenges.

Be sure to check out media coverage of the caucuses’ proposals from the Boston Herald’s Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive’s John Micek, Sam Doran of the State House News Service, Olivia Ray of WWLP-TV, and Jim Morelli of Boston 25 News.

House GOP Caucus Letter to Governor on Emergency Shelter Concerns Continues to Get Results

The House Republican Caucus’ January 6 letter to Governor Healey demanding answers on the Administration’s vetting process for entry into the state’s emergency shelter system continues to get results.

When the Caucus questioned why an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic was living in a Revere-based shelter after he was arrested on multiple firearms and drug charges, the Governor responded by ordering an inspection of all state-run emergency shelters and a full review of the intake process. On Thursday, the Boston Globe reported that the Administration’s repeated claims that all emergency shelter applicants were subject to comprehensive background checks before entry into the system were, in fact, false, as the Administration failed to conduct criminal background checks that could have weeded out dangerous individuals and prevented them from accessing taxpayer-funded state benefits.

By Friday, Governor Healey was on the defensive, following a scathing rebuke from House Minority Leader Brad Jones, who issued a statement calling the situation “completely unacceptable” and “a betrayal of the public’s trust.” At a late afternoon press availability, the Governor said that everyone in the state’s emergency shelter system will now undergo a CORI check, and that she has brought on former Boston Police Department Commissioner Ed Davis to conduct an “independent outside review” of the shelter program. She also expressed a willingness to revisit the state’s Right to Shelter Law to uphold its original intent to provide emergency housing to Massachusetts residents, something the House Republican Caucus has continuously called for and strongly supports.

Be sure to check out additional media coverage of the evolving shelter situation from the Boston Herald’s Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive’s John Micek, the Boston Globe’s Matt Stout and Samantha Gross, as well as Boston Globe columnist Adrian Walker and WCVB's David Bienick, who interviewed Representative Paul Frost (R-Auburn).

House Minority Leader Jones’ Statement on Emergency Shelter System

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) released the following statement after reports that the Healey Administration failed to conduct criminalbackground checks on applicants for the state’s emergency shelter program:

“The Healey Administration’s admission that it failed to carry out criminal background checks on applicants seeking emergency shelter assistance is completely unacceptable and represents a serious betrayal of the public’s trust. The Administration’s handling of the situation has been a total disaster, with the failure to carry out the most basic of public safety protocols needlessly placing other people in harm’s way by housing them alongside dangerous criminals.

The Administration has long maintained that it was conducting extensive background checks of all applicants seeking shelter assistance, but now we know that was not the case. The fact that the Administration has no idea how many individuals with a criminal record are currently residing in the state’s shelter system is cause for alarm. With over 1,000 recorded serious incidents taking place in the state’s shelters between January of 2023 and August of 2024 – including rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence – there are more than enough examples that highlight why these comprehensive background checks are so important.

This is just the latest example of the Administration’s failure to provide proper oversight of the emergency shelter program, which continues to drain valuable state resources. Governor Healey is now seeking $425 million in supplemental shelter funding, but there should be no more funding approved for the program until meaningful reforms are implemented. It is time for the Healey Administration to come clean with the Commonwealth’s taxpayers and explain how this was allowed to happen and why it has gone on for so long. A complete top to bottom review of the program is needed to ensure that not only all of those applying for emergency shelter assistance are properly vetted at the point of entry, but also to identify those individuals who are already in the system but should not be. Dangerous criminals should be removed from the program immediately, and swift legal action taken.

It has become abundantly clear that this program is wildly unsustainable and unmanageable for the Healey Administration, and it is well beyond time to change course. Whether it’s incompetence, intransigence or negligence, changes must be made. It’s time for heads to roll.”

House Caucus Letter to Governor Leads to Planned Shelter Inspections and Review of Intake Protocols

Governor Maura Healey is calling for shelter inspections and a “full review” of the intake protocols used for the state’s emergency shelter system, after the House Republican Caucus raised concerns and demanded answers about the vetting process.

In a letter delivered to the Governor on January 6, the caucus questioned how an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, who is now facing multiple firearms and drug-related charges, was able to secure placement in a state-funded motel shelter in Revere, at the expense of many longtime Massachusetts residents in need. The Healey Administration has repeatedly claimed entry into the shelter program is limited to residents and documented immigrants who have lawful permission to be in the United States and have declared Massachusetts as their place of residency. The arrest highlights the Administration’s failed policies and the shortcomings of the background checks currently used to screen shelter applicants.

While the announced inspections and intake review are welcome news, the caucus will continue to closely monitor the situation to hold the Healey Administration accountable and to ensure that the governor follows through on her pledge to implement the changes needed to prevent criminal activity from taking place in the state’s shelters. There are simply no excuses for tolerating this type of criminal behavior, especially when it occurs within a state-run program publicly funded by taxpayer dollars.

You can read additional media coverage here, here and here.

House Minority Leader Jones’ Statement on Today's GOP Caucus Leadership Vote

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) released the following statement after today’s leadership vote taken by the members of the House Republican Caucus:

“I am truly grateful for the overwhelming vote of confidence and support I received from my colleagues this morning. They were able to see through the divisive rhetoric and meaningless noise generated by outside special interests, extremist groups and others leading up to today’s vote. As we begin a new legislative session, I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to lead the House Republican Caucus over the next two years and will continue to work alongside my colleagues to advocate for responsible policies that are in the best interests of our cities and towns and the state’s taxpayers.”