All Roll Calls
Yes: 423 • No: 42
MassachusettsH 5620194th General Court (2025-2026)HouseWALLET
An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust and equal constitutional treatment
Sponsored By: Protect Act
Signed by Governor
House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
12 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Faster help for U and T visas
Certifying agencies must have a written policy with no fees, a named official, and an internal review process. They must answer U‑ or T‑visa certification requests within 45 days. If you have an immigration hearing or removal case within 45 days—or a derivative T‑visa child may age out—the response is due in 14 business days unless there are extraordinary delays. Agencies must sign the federal form, deny without prejudice with reasons, or explain the delay, and they report data each year. The attorney general can enforce these rules.
Health sites limit civil arrests
Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, EMS, and other covered providers must mark nonpublic care areas and follow set procedures with civil law enforcement. Civil arrests in nonpublic areas are banned without a judicial warrant, except where law or funded programs require it. Providers licensed or funded by DPH, DMH, DDS, or MassHealth—and very large non‑hospital doctor practices with $500,000,000 or more in annual patient revenue—must adopt written policies. Staff and volunteers who act in good faith under these policies are protected from discipline and are immune from legal liability for those actions.
Schools restrict civil immigration arrests
Police cannot make civil arrests on school grounds without a judicial warrant or order, except where law or funded programs require it. The education department publishes model guidance and training, and every school must have a written emergency response plan based on those models. If you believe a civil arrest at school violated the law, you can ask a court for a writ of habeas corpus. The attorney general can also sue to stop illegal civil arrests.
Audits of ICE contracts and detention
The State Auditor can audit sheriffs with ICE intergovernmental service agreements and privately run immigration detention sites that use public resources. Auditors get access to needed records, and audits follow government standards. A public report is due by January 1, 2027.
Limits on local immigration enforcement
State and local agencies do not use their resources for federal civil immigration enforcement unless a law or court requires it. Officers do not ask about immigration status unless it is directly tied to a criminal element and they document the reason. Most new 287(g) agreements are not allowed. The Department of Correction may keep a 287(g) agreement it had on June 8, 2020, and any new approval by the governor lasts no more than 12 months and requires public notice and an attorney general review.
Courts weigh final removal orders
In felony cases, judges must consider a final order of removal when deciding pretrial detention, but only if appeals are exhausted or waived, no stay or similar action exists, and the federal government has begun actively executing the order.
Deadlines to roll out new policies
The governor publishes temporary guidelines within 30 days and final rules within 190 days. Health agencies issue a model health‑care policy within 30 days, and covered providers must adopt their policies within 60 days. Schools and child‑care programs must have required policies in place by September 1, 2026, or the first day of the 2026–27 school year, whichever is earlier.
Courthouse civil arrests tightly limited
Officers cannot make civil arrests inside courtrooms. At courthouses, they can arrest only when acting officially and after giving a judge paperwork that shows a judicial warrant or order; the judge must review it quickly. An arrest that violates these courthouse rules counts as false imprisonment under state law.
Guardianship rules for immigration actions
The law treats an “adverse immigration action” like death or legal incapacity for appointing a child’s guardian. Adverse immigration action includes DHS detention, removal or voluntary departure, and denial of admission. If both parents are unavailable for these reasons, the last parent to face one of these events has priority to appoint a guardian. This does not override the remaining parental rights.
Stronger access to lawyers in detention
Detention facilities must give intake notices in your primary language. You get confidential, unmonitored phone talks with your lawyer, with at least one confidential inbound call per day or a callback within 24 hours. Facilities must offer free, regular video meetings with counsel. They must update electronic custody records and notify your lawyer and listed contacts within 6 hours of transfers. The attorney general can enforce these rules in court.
Worker protections in immigration checks
Your employer must give every employee written notice within 48 hours after getting an ICE notice to inspect I‑9 forms or similar records, unless federal law says otherwise. State and local government employers cannot report or threaten to report you to federal immigration authorities because you seek certification, report a crime, file a complaint, or help an investigation.
Commission to study immigration issues
A Commission on Immigration Matters operates for three years, with possible extension up to three more. It meets at least four times a year, holds at least one public hearing annually, and issues at least one annual report with recommendations.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Protect Act
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
Aaron L. Saunders
Democratic • House
Adam Gómez
Democratic • Senate
Adam J. Scanlon
Democratic • House
Adrian C. Madaro
Democratic • House
Amy Mah Sangiolo
Democratic • House
Andres X. Vargas
Democratic • House
Barry R. Finegold
Democratic • Senate
Brandy Fluker-Reid
Democratic • House
Bud L. Williams
Democratic • House
Carlos González
Democratic • House
Carmine Lawrence Gentile
Democratic • House
Christine P. Barber
Democratic • House
Christopher Hendricks
Democratic • House
Christopher J. Worrell
Democratic • House
Chynah Tyler
Democratic • House
Danillo A. Sena
Democratic • House
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf
Democratic • House
David M. Rogers
Democratic • House
David Paul Linsky
Democratic • House
Dawne Shand
Democratic • House
Edward R. Philips
Democratic • House
Erika Uyterhoeven
Democratic • House
Estela A. Reyes
Democratic • House
Francisco E. Paulino
Democratic • House
Frank A. Moran
Democratic • House
Greg Schwartz
Democratic • House
Hadley Luddy
Democratic • House
Hannah Bowen
Democratic • House
Homar Gómez
Democratic • House
Jack Patrick Lewis
Democratic • House
James C. Arena-DeRosa
Democratic • House
James K. Hawkins
Democratic • House
Jason M. Lewis
Democratic • Senate
Jay D. Livingstone
Democratic • House
Jennifer Balinsky Armini
Democratic • House
Jessica Ann Giannino
Democratic • House
III John Barrett
Democratic • House
John Francis Moran
Democratic • House
Jr. John J. Lawn
Democratic • House
Judith A. Garcia
Democratic • House
Kenneth I. Gordon
Democratic • House
Kevin G. Honan
Democratic • House
Kip A. Diggs
Democratic • House
Kristin E. Kassner
Democratic • House
Leigh Davis
Democratic • House
Lindsay N. Sabadosa
Democratic • House
Lisa Field
Democratic • House
Liz Miranda
Democratic • Senate
Lydia Edwards
Democratic • Senate
Manny Cruz
Democratic • House
Marcus S. Vaughn
Republican • House
Marjorie C. Decker
Democratic • House
Mary S. Keefe
Democratic • House
Michael J. Barrett
Democratic • Senate
Michael P. Kushmerek
Democratic • House
Michelle L. Badger
Democratic • House
Michelle L. Ciccolo
Democratic • House
Michelle M. DuBois
Democratic • House
Mike Connolly
Democratic • House
Mindy Domb
Democratic • House
Natalie M. Higgins
Democratic • House
Nick Collins
Democratic • Senate
Orlando Ramos
Democratic • House
Patricia A. Duffy
Democratic • House
Patricia D. Jehlen
Democratic • Senate
Paul J. Donato
Democratic • House
Pavel M. Payano
Democratic • Senate
Priscila S. Sousa
Democratic • House
Rebecca L. Rausch
Democratic • Senate
Rita A. Mendes
Democratic • House
Rob Consalvo
Democratic • House
Robyn K. Kennedy
Democratic • Senate
Rodney M. Elliott
Democratic • House
Russell E. Holmes
Democratic • House
Ryan M. Hamilton
Democratic • House
Sal N. DiDomenico
Democratic • Senate
Sally P. Kerans
Democratic • House
Samantha Montaño
Democratic • House
Sean Garballey
Democratic • House
Sean Reid
Democratic • House
Shirley B. Arriaga
Democratic • House
Simon Cataldo
Democratic • House
Steven Owens
Democratic • House
Steven Ultrino
Democratic • House
Susannah M. Whipps
Independent • House
Tackey Chan
Democratic • House
Tara T. Hong
Democratic • House
Thomas M. Stanley
Democratic • House
Thomas W. Moakley
Democratic • House
Tommy Vitolo
Democratic • House
Tram T. Nguyen
Democratic • House
Tricia Farley-Bouvier
Democratic • House
Vanna Howard
Democratic • Senate
William F. MacGregor
Democratic • House
Jr. William J. Driscoll
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 7/30/2026
Committee of conference report accepted
Yes: 137 • No: 21
House vote • 7/30/2026
Quorum Roll Call
Yes: 149 • No: 0
House vote • 7/30/2026
Enacted
Yes: 137 • No: 21
Actions Timeline
Signed by the Governor, Chapter 163 of the Acts of 2026
8/5/2026Enacted and laid before the Governor
7/30/2026SenateEnacted - 137 YEAS to 21 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 251)
7/30/2026HouseEmergency preamble adopted
7/30/2026SenateEmergency preamble adopted
7/30/2026HouseQuorum Roll Call - 149 YEAS to 0 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 249)
7/30/2026HouseEmergency preamble pending
7/30/2026HouseCommittee of conference report accepted, in concurrence
7/30/2026SenateCommittee of conference report accepted - 137 YEAS to 21 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 243)
7/30/2026HouseRules suspended
7/30/2026HouseCommittee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting, the question being on acceptance
7/30/2026HouseRules suspended
7/30/2026HouseReferred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
7/29/2026HouseReported on H5316
7/29/2026HouseReported from the committee of conference
7/29/2026House
Bill Text
Chapter 163 of the Acts of 2026
8/5/2026
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