A blue state governor known for opposing Trump-era deportation policies expressed outrage Monday after a migrant was allegedly caught with nearly $1 million worth of drugs and an AR-15 rifle at a shelter hotel.
“It’s outrageous that this individual took advantage of our shelter system to engage in criminal activity,” Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.
The suspect, Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a Dominican Republic native, faces firearm and drug trafficking charges. Sanchez, 28, was found at a Quality Inn in Revere, Massachusetts, a hotel currently serving as a temporary shelter.
Authorities reportedly discovered ammunition, high-capacity magazines, fentanyl, and cocaine with an estimated street value of at least $750,000, according to Boston 25 News.
A Chelsea District Court judge deemed Sanchez dangerous, ordering him held without bail. Reports also revealed Sanchez entered the U.S. illegally last year and had obtained an ID through New York’s shelter system.
In response, Gov. Healey ordered inspections of all shelters, starting with the Revere site. She also called for a review of intake procedures to prevent future criminal activity.
“This further underscores our broken federal immigration system,” Healey said. “We urgently need Congress and the White House to act on a border security bill to prevent criminals from entering our communities.”
Healey added that Massachusetts residents should not bear the burden of federal inaction on immigration reform.
In 2023, Healey defended the state’s role as a refuge for migrants, saying, “We are and proudly have been a beacon to those in need.” She had also pledged to resist Trump’s immigration enforcement plans after his 2016 election.
On MSNBC in November 2016, Healey said state police would “absolutely not” cooperate with mass deportation efforts. “Every tool in the toolbox” would be used to protect residents, she asserted.
Meanwhile, Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar,” issued warnings to states obstructing federal efforts. “If they don’t want to help us, then get the hell out of the way,” he said on Fox News.
Massachusetts, like other states, has struggled to handle the growing migrant surge from the southern border. Healey has since imposed restrictions on shelter programs to prioritize state residents.