On January 29, 2026, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey issued Executive Order No. 650, “Protecting Access to Essential Services and Keeping Massachusetts Communities Safe.” This Executive Order took effect immediately and continues until amended, superseded, or revoked by a subsequent Executive Order. The order imposes new compliance obligations on Massachusetts colleges and universities regarding interactions with federal immigration enforcement.
What changed
Section 4 of the Executive Order contains specific requirements for Massachusetts colleges and universities. Specifically, the Executive Order states that colleges and universities, as well as K-12 schools, childcare providers, and medical providers and hospitals, must “have guidance and policies in place (i) for staff interacting with federal immigration officers; and (ii) requiring a judicial warrant or judicial order for entry into nonpublic areas.”
The order draws a critical distinction between warrant types. The Executive Order defines “judicial warrant or judicial order” as “an arrest warrant or other judicial order issued by a judge or magistrate sitting in the judicial branch of state government or of the federal government, authorizing an arrest.” This distinguished judicial warrants from administrative warrants, which are issued by ICE but not signed by judges, and which do not authorize ICE agents to enter private spaces without consent.
Executive Order No. 650 directs the Executive Office of Education to work with public and private entities engaged in providing education and child care services to the public to ensure that these entities have guidance and policies on these topics, and to encourage Education Entities to develop or update their own policies or procedures on these topics.
Why it matters
For immigration practitioners advising college clients—whether students, administrators, or institutional counsel—this order reshapes the legal landscape on campus. Your clients now have explicit state authorization to require ICE agents to present a judicially-signed warrant before entering dorm rooms, offices, labs, or other nonpublic spaces. Administrative warrants (the “I-200” forms ICE commonly uses) do not meet this threshold.
This affects your practice in several ways:
- Student advisories: You can now confidently tell undocumented or vulnerable students that Massachusetts law requires a judicial warrant for ICE entry to nonpublic campus areas.
- Institutional compliance: If you advise a Massachusetts college, your client must adopt and maintain written policies on both staff training for ICE encounters and the judicial-warrant requirement. Failure to do so exposes the institution to potential state enforcement.
- Escalation protocols: The order contemplates that designated campus administrators will receive ICE requests and escalate to institutional counsel for warrant review—practitioners should help schools build this workflow.
Way forward
- If you advise a Massachusetts college or university: Work with your client’s general counsel to audit their current ICE policies and ensure they meet the January 2026 order’s twin requirements: (1) written guidance for staff interactions with federal immigration officers, and (2) a clear judicial-warrant requirement for entry to nonpublic areas.
- If you advise immigrant students: Inform them of their right to demand a judicial warrant (not an administrative warrant) before allowing ICE agents into dorm rooms or private campus facilities. Provide them with contact information for campus legal resources and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s ICE reporting portal.
- For institutional training: Help your college client design scenario-based training for campus safety, residence life, and administrative staff on how to receive, verify, and escalate ICE requests; the order explicitly encourages such training.
- Monitor state guidance: The Massachusetts Executive Office of Education and Attorney General’s office have issued detailed recommendations for education entities; link your college client to these resources and update your policies if state guidance evolves.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration law is complex and varies by jurisdiction; state executive orders can be amended or revoked without notice. You should consult with a licensed immigration attorney or higher education counsel in Massachusetts to ensure your specific situation complies with Executive Order 650 and any updates to state or federal law. Verify all information against the primary source linked above and current state guidance before relying on it in practice.