• We lived in Quincy, Massachusetts, for 12 years and enjoyed being in Boston's neighboring city.
• We didn't love our housing or school options there, so we relocated to Norwell.
• Now, we're happy to have a more suburban home with access to good schools and more space.

I've had the privilege of living in and around Boston for at least 12 years.

After renting for years, my husband and I bought our first house in Quincy, a city in the greater Boston area, in 2018.

Buying in this city felt tough with just our budget, so we split a two-family home with two 800-square-foot units with a friend for $598,000.

We loved having a house on the subway line and living in a city minutes from Boston. Our front door was steps away from a pretty harborfront restaurant, a small beach, and lots of nearby activities in the historic downtown.

I figured Quincy would be an ideal long-term home base for us. Unfortunately, this feeling didn't last.

We began finding it hard to picture raising a family in this city

In 2020, we found out we were pregnant.

Although I couldn't get enough of Quincy's foodie scene, cultural events, parks, and waterfront, I began wondering if this would be an affordable and practical place for us to raise a family.

At times, the city felt a little overwhelming and crowded with its tens of thousands of residents.

Our current home seemed like it would be too small for us, our dog, and our newborn — and we weren't sure if we could afford a bigger one here on our own. Plus, we weren't thrilled with the ratings of the public schools nearby.

So, we took advantage of the seller-favored housing market at the time and sold our place for $715,000.

We moved an hour south to my parents' house in Plymouth and spent the next few months saving and looking for our next home.

Eventually, we set our sights on a different part of Massachusetts

After some research, I set my sights on Norwell, which is about 20 minutes south of Quincy. It's a small town next to a coastal enclave of beautiful New England-style communities such as Hingham and Cohasset.

It feels less trendy (and slightly more affordable) than those because it's landlocked and smaller, but it's still minutes from the beaches and harborfronts.

We searched for about a year until settling on a three-bedroom, 2,300-square-foot home with a gorgeous sunroom for $830,000. Being able to save for a year while living with family made this purchase possible.

To be honest, Norwell isn't much cheaper in Quincy. Houses generally sell for more money, although the median price per square footage of listings in Norwell is $87 less than listings in Quincy, according to data from Realtor.com.

Although this home was more expensive than our last place, we felt we were getting more space with our investment. Plus, we feel we get more value for our money here.

Our property taxes are higher, for example, but we now live near some of the best public schools in Massachusetts. We no longer wonder if we should spend thousands sending our kids to private schools.

Norwell is quieter than Quincy, but we have access to everything we need

It's felt pretty nice and peaceful to go from living in one of the biggest cities in Massachusetts to Norwell, which has about 11,000 residents.

Although our town doesn't have much happening, major shopping and dining spots are just a few minutes' drive away.

Several grocery stores and other conveniences are very close by, and we found a wonderful preschool down the road for our oldest daughter, where she gets to be out in nature most of the day.

We're also just 15 to 20 minutes from a beach and five minutes from the highway that can fairly easily get us into Boston.

Although I miss living in Quincy and the buzz of a city sprawl, we're happy in our woodsy town of Norwell and have enjoyed two great years so far as residents.

The best part is that Boston is still less than an hour away by car or ferry whenever we feel like visiting a trendy restaurant or concert.

• WalletHub released a report of the safest states in the US.
• It ranked states based on 52 safety indicators, including work safety and emergency preparedness.
• Vermont was ranked the safest state in the US, followed by New Hampshire and Maine.

With a rise in climate-related disasters — from hurricanes and storms to the recent wildfires in Los Angeles — one thing is clear: Safety is no longer limited to living in a crime-free neighborhood.

These days, safety has taken on a new meaning, encompassing a range of factors from emergency preparedness to financial stability.

Taking into account these evolving priorities, WalletHub released a report in October listing the safest states in the US based on 52 factors in five key areas: personal and residential safety, financial safety, road safety, workplace safety, and emergency preparedness.

Each state was given an overall score out of 100 based on its average rating across the five categories, and all the states were then ranked based on these scores.

The data used in the report was sourced from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, TransUnion, and US Fire Administration, among other sources.

From Vermont and Maine to Utah and Wyoming, here are the 10 safest states in the US, according to WalletHub.

10. Wyoming

Wyoming, which also came 10th in 2023, ranked relatively high (15th) on both personal and residential and financial safety for 2024.

In all other categories — road and workplace safety and emergency preparedness — it ranked 21st. Casper, the second largest city in the state was also named the second safest city in the US in a separate study by WalletHub.

However, the state has the seventh-highest bullying incidence rate and the second-worst fatal occupational injuries per total workers, WalletHub reported.

9. Rhode Island

Rhode Island has also retained its ninth spot on the list.

The state ranked eighth on emergency preparedness scale and 11th on road safety. Its ranking for personal residential safety, though, dropped to 19, compared to eight in 2023.

Still, the state has the fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, the fourth-fewest assaults per capita, the third-lowest bullying incidence rate, and the fourth-lowest share of uninsured residents, per WalletHub.

The state did not fare as well on the workplace safety ranking, standing 38th, despite having the fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.

8. Minnesota

Minnesota, too, has maintained its ranking from 2023, retaining the eighth position.

The Midwestern state scored highly under three categories: financial safety, where it ranked ninth among all states; road safety, where it ranked second; and workplace safety, where it stood sixth.

It also has the third lowest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel and the fifth-lowest share of uninsured residents and fatal occupational injuries per total workers.

7. Connecticut

Connecticut, which ranked sixth in 2023, has swapped spots with Hawaii, previously ranked seventh.

The Constitution State, has the second best personal and residential safety among all 50 states. It is also the 16th safest in terms of emergency preparedness and 20th in road safety.

In addition to its high rankings, when compared to other states, it has the third-fewest assaults per capita, third-highest percentage of adults with rainy day funds, and, like Rhode Island, the second fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.

6. Hawaii

Hawaii moved from seventh in 2023 to the sixth-safest state in the US in 2024.

This improvement is partly due to its strong performance in financial safety, where it ranked sixth, as well as in personal and residential safety and emergency preparedness, both ranking 11th.

The state also stands out for having the fifth-lowest rate of assaults per capita and the highest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds.

5. Utah

Utah, the fourth-safest state in 2023, moved down one spot, ranking fifth in 2024.

The Beehive State ranked No.1 among all states in workplace safety and fourth in emergency preparedness. It also fared well in road safety, ranking seventh overall.

Additionally, the state has the second-lowest per capita losses from climate disasters, which means it suffers relatively low monetary losses from events like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires when calculated per person.

4. Massachusetts

Massachusetts ranked among the top 10 in at least four categories, including third-highest in personal and residential and road safety.

It was also the fourth-best state in the US for financial safety and ranked 10th in emergency preparedness.

It's also the state with the second-fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, the fifth-lowest bullying incidence rate, the lowest share of uninsured residents, and the fourth-highest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds, per WalletHub's report.

3. Maine

WalletHub ranked Maine as the third-safest state to live in the US because of its high financial, personal and residential safety rankings. The state has one of the lowest unemployment rates and one of the strongest job growth rates in the country.

According to the report, the state also has one of the lowest crime rates in the country, with the second-fewest aggravated assaults and third-fewest thefts per capita. Between June 2022 and June 2024, it also had the second-fewest mass shootings.

In addition to its strong safety ranking, the Pine Tree State also has a very low risk of natural disasters.

2. New Hampshire

The Granite State, known for its natural beauty, ranked second on WalletHub's safety index.

It topped the rankings in personal and residential safety thanks to its low rates of violence, a high number of neighborhood watch groups per capita, and strong financial safety.

New Hampshire also secured second place in financial safety and ranked third overall in emergency preparedness. It has the fewest assaults per capita and the lowest unemployment rate, alongside South Dakota, North Dakota, Vermont, and Hawaii.

However, the state also has the sixth-highest bullying incidence rate in the country.

1. Vermont

Vermont has been the safest state in the US on WalletHub's index for two years in a row.

The Green Mountain State has maintained its top position, in part because it is the No. 1 state in the country for financial safety — WalletHub reported it has one of the country's lowest employment rates and one of the strongest job growth rates.

Vermont also came second in workplace safety and fourth in road safety, with the report chalking this up, in part, to "good driving behavior": The state has the lowest percentage of drivers who've used a phone behind the wheel, per WalletHub.

It was also in the top 10 among the two other categories, ranking sixth in personal and residential safety and ninth in emergency preparedness.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is hardening her approach to the state’s migrant crisis in the face of mounting safety concerns and just days before President-elect Trump is sworn into office.

Healey, a Democrat, is proposing drastic changes to how the state houses migrants by proposing that all families staying in emergency shelters be in the country legally, with rare exceptions. The move would effectively prevent new migrants from staying in state shelters. 

The change, which comes after a review of the state’s right-to-shelter law, would see all shelter applicants be required to show that they are either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or are here "under the color of law." Exceptions are made for households that include children who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.

ICE ARRESTS 3 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN MASS.: 2 CHARGED WITH CHILD RAPE, 1 CONVICTED OF SAME CRIME IN BRAZIL

The governor is also looking to strengthen background checks for anyone staying at a shelter by requiring them to disclose criminal convictions in the state and elsewhere. 

Her proposal would require applicants to verify their identity, residency and immigration status before being housed. Currently, shelter applicants are allowed to be housed before providing any documentation. 

It would also limit those qualifying due to evictions to the state, not anywhere in the country. For instance, this would eliminate a scenario where a migrant is evicted in another state and then comes to Massachusetts and gets shelter benefits.

"I believe these changes are appropriate and needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state shelter system in a way that aligns with the original intent of the law," Healey said in a statement. "In addition, these proposed changes will allow us to continue to ensure the safety of our system, support cities and towns in addressing the needs of unhoused families in their communities and put us on the path toward a more fiscally sustainable shelter system."

The moves come amid safety concerns at the state’s shelters and various crimes being linked to illegal migrants in the state. Records from the state indicate there have been hundreds of serious incidents at the shelters, including rapes.

Last month, an illegal immigrant was allegedly caught with an AR-15 and about $1 million worth of fentanyl in a state-subsidized hotel room. An El Salvadoran illegal immigrant was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a child while Immigration and Customs Enforcement has seen a recent spike in illegal immigrants arrested for sex crimes in the Boston area and throughout Massachusetts.

Healey said in November that her state police will "absolutely not" be cooperating with the expected mass deportation effort by the incoming Trump administration, warning that she will use "every tool in the toolbox" to "protect" residents in the blue state.

Healey’s new proposals about after a review of the state’s right to shelter law, "continued inaction by Congress and no assistance from the federal government."

The proposals need to be approved by the legislature, and Healey outlined her recommendations in a letter to the Senate President, Speaker, and House and Senate Ways and Means Chairs, urging the changes to be in the Emergency Assistance (EA) Supplemental Budget.

DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS

She recently announced that the administration will phase out the use of hotels and motels as shelters by the end of 2025.

Massachusetts adopted its Right to Shelter law 40 years ago, which was designed to provide housing for families in need, specifically pregnant women and children experiencing homelessness. 

In recent years, migrants have sought shelter under this law which has overwhelmed its shelter system. Last year, Healey declared a state of emergency in the state due to the surge and called for federal action. She also acknowledged that the state’s policies may be a draw for migrants.

Migrants were even sleeping on the floors of Boston's Logan International Airport as the shelter system became overcrowded. 

About 50,000 migrants have come to the state since 2021, according to. July report by the Center for Immigration Studies. 

Democratic House Speaker Ronald Mariano said the new proposal is in line with what lawmakers have been trying to do.

"From the outset of the shelter system crisis, the House has consistently led the effort to ensure that the Commonwealth’s emergency assistance program could remain financially viable in the long-term, resulting in reforms that capped the maximum length of stay, and that required job training for individuals in the shelter system," he said in a statement, per The Associated Press. 

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr also welcomed the proposal. 

"With the growing consensus not only on Beacon Hill, but throughout the Commonwealth, that major changes are needed urgently, we have the opportunity to at last take actions that will make the system safer, more accountable and transparent, and more sustainable," Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said in a statement.

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Massachusetts' Republican Party in August accused Healey of quietly having spent over $1 billion on the state’s migrant crisis.

"The Healey-Driscoll Administration has shrouded nearly $1 billion spent in secrecy, leaving Massachusetts residents in the dark," Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale said in a statement at the time. 

"They have withheld critical information on 600 incidents involving police, fire, and EMTs. Blocking journalists at every turn, the administration has obstructed the flow of information to the public."

Boston ICE agents had to arrest a Brazilian illegal immigrant charged with rape and extortion twice because of sanctuary policies in the state of Massachusetts.

An ICE statement published last week said that Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations officials arrested 29-year-old Agnaldo Moreira da Cruz, for the second time in December.

This came after officials in Barnstable County, in Massachusetts’ Cape Cod, twice ignored ICE detainer requests against Moreira da Cruz.

MAJOR BLUE CITY MAYOR SILENT AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT USES SHELTER FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

According to the ICE statement, the Barnstable County Superior Court not only ignored their detainer requests but also violated the terms of their own agreement by refusing to return Moreira da Cruz to ICE, after obtaining him through a "writ of habeas corpus."

Moreira da Cruz was originally arrested in August 2023 by police in Yarmouth. He was arraigned in December 2023 and held at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility, which is run by the Barnstable Sheriff’s Office, until he was released on June 18, 2024, despite there being an ICE detainer against him. 

ICE tracked down and arrested Moreira da Cruz several months later on Oct. 16 and, after receiving a habeas corpus request, had to again turn him over to the Barnstable Superior Court on Nov. 27. The court then ignored the ICE detainer and released him on Dec. 5.

Moreira da Cruz is charged with a series of violent felonies, including rape and extortion with threat of injury.

BLUE STATE GOV CHANGES TUNE AFTER VOWING TO FIGHT TRUMP DEPORTATION EFFORTS, NOW HOPES HE FIXES BORDER

"This is not someone you want to release into the community, but twice now our detainers have been ignored," said ICE. "These decisions have repeatedly put the citizens of Massachusetts at risk of being victimized by an alleged dangerous offender."

Asked why the ICE detainer was not honored, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Trial Court sent Fox News Digital a copy of the policy followed by the court, which is based on a precedent set by a 2017 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling called "Lunn vs. Commonwealth."

The policy stipulates that Trial Court employees "do not have authority to detain an individual based solely" on ICE detainers and those immigrants subject to these requests "shall be processed and handled in the same way that all other individuals coming before the court are processed and handled."

The policy also states that no court officer or employee may "call or otherwise initiate communication with any ICE official" to notify them that an immigrant is in court custody and that "no ICE official shall be permitted to take an individual into custody pursuant to a civil immigration detainer in a courtroom."

ICE NABS ILLEGAL MIGRANT ACCUSED OF HEINOUS CRIME AND RELEASED BY MASSACHUSETTS SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Barnstable Sheriff Donna Buckley told Fox News Digital that Lunn vs. Commonwealth makes it so that "it is unlawful for state and local law enforcement agencies to arrest or detain people solely on the basis of an ICE detainer, beyond the time that the individual would otherwise be entitled to be released from State custody."

"The Massachusetts sheriffs operate within the scope and parameters of federal, state and local laws and regulations," said Buckley. "As such, the sheriffs are bound to follow the law of the Commonwealth, and therefore cannot hold an individual based on an ICE detention request alone, if that incarcerated individual is not subject to separate judicially issued detention orders."

"The sheriffs do not make the law. The sheriffs enforce the law," she added.

DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE 'EVERY TOOL' TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS

Meanwhile, Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and law and policy expert at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Fox News Digital, though the Massachusetts courts have the final say in instances such as this, "it's important to note that's not necessarily the final word."

"Immigration is the ultimate federal issue," said Arthur. "When states interpose themselves in that process, they're really getting into an area in which they have no expertise based upon anecdote and speculation."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

He noted that states and localities receive billions of dollars in federal funding every year, which can be made dependent on complying with federal immigration authorities.

"On the one hand, they're demanding money from the federal government, and on the other hand, they're telling the federal government that they won't assist them in a key government duty," he said. "Congress can always place any conditions that they want on funding, and this is a reasonable condition for them to put in place."

ICE ARRESTS ALLEGED CHILD SEX PREDATOR, MS-13 GANG MEMBER IN MASSACHUSETTS

Arthur said that he anticipates the Trump administration and incoming border czar Tom Homan will move quickly to push Congress to put such stipulations in place.

"The biggest issue with this is that it places ICE enforcement and removal officers in great danger because, rather than taking custody of a criminal in a secure location, a local jail or a state prison, they have to actually go out on the street. They have to find that person at their house, and that puts their lives at danger," he explained. "It's also important to note this is a community safety issue."

"If we really want to keep our streets safe," he went on, "the best way to do that is to take the criminals off the street. And really, that's what should be happening, and I anticipate you will see a movement, particularly under a second Trump administration, to make that happen."

Despite the actions by Barnstable County officials, Moreira da Cruz is currently in ICE custody, pending immigration and criminal proceedings.

Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu is keeping silent after an illegal immigrant was caught using a taxpayer-funded migrant shelter in the Boston suburbs for criminal activity, including storing a weapon and nearly $1 million worth of drugs.

Wu failed to respond to repeated requests for comment from Fox News Digital, despite the migrant shelter involved being just a short drive from Downtown Boston.

Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a 28-year-old illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, is facing criminal charges in federal court for illegally possessing an AR-15 and ammunition and over 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Boston 25 News also reported that Sanchez was also caught possessing cocaine with "an estimated street value of at least $750,000." He is currently being kept in custody by state authorities.

BLUE STATE GOV CHANGES TUNE AFTER VOWING TO FIGHT TRUMP DEPORTATION EFFORTS, NOW HOPES HE FIXES BORDER

Sanchez was storing his weapon and drugs in his room at the Quality Inn Hotel in Revere, Massachusetts, which is a government-funded shelter for migrants.  

Boston and Massachusetts both have sanctuary policies in place and both Wu and Governor Maure Healey have vowed to resist President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to crack down on illegal immigration.

Despite this, Healey expressed anger over the incident, saying, "It’s outrageous that this individual took advantage of our shelter system to engage in criminal activity."

Healey ordered an inspection of all shelters, starting with the Quality Inn Hotel in Revere, as well as a "full review" of the state’s shelter intake processes.

SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY BELIEVE TRUMP WILL 'CONTROL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION': POLL

"This further underscores our broken federal immigration system and the urgent need for Congress and the White House to act on a border security bill to prevent criminals from entering our communities," said Healey. "The people of Massachusetts should not continue to have to deal with the impacts of federal inaction."  

However, Wu, who has said Boston’s sanctuary policies "make everyone safer," has remained silent. Although Fox News Digital spoke with Wu’s office, neither she nor her office have issued any response to Sanchez’s arrest. 

Since Trump’s 2024 electoral victory, Wu has doubled down on Boston’s sanctuary city status, saying police and city officials would not assist federal authorities with deportations.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has seen a recent spike in illegal immigrants arrested for sex crimes in the Boston area and throughout Massachusetts.

Trump’s incoming border czar Tom Homan has called out Wu for pledging resistance to the administration’s immigration agenda, telling Newsmax in November that "she’s not very smart."

"President Trump is going to prioritize public safety threats," said Homan. "What mayor or governor doesn’t want public safety threats out of their communities? I mean that’s your number one responsibility is to protect your communities and that’s exactly what we’re going to do."

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., is not letting backlash in his own party stop him from continuing his verbal crusade against trans athletes in women's and girls' sports. 

Moulton spoke out about his party for its stance on the issue once again on Sunday in an interview on "The Takeout" on CBS News. 

Moulton insisted that he's spoken with individuals in the LGBT community who have agreed on having restrictions to prevent biological males from competing against and sharing locker rooms with females. 

"You wouldn't believe how many LGBTQ people, activists themselves, individuals have reached out completely supportive of what I said, saying, ‘Yes, we need to have these conversations and I even agree on the transgender issue,’" Moulton said. "There are lots of people, including members of the LGBTQ community, who feel that in certain sports, not necessarily all sports, but in certain sports like swimming, for example, there probably should be restrictions on transgender women. These are people who are born biologically male."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Moulton even said he spoke to transgender people who have agreed with him on the issue. 

"I've heard from a number of trans people, and again I'm not speaking for all of them, I'm sharing what I've heard from some who have come to me and said, ‘Yeah, this is pretty reasonable,’" Moulton said. 

Moulton added that the trans people he has spoken with have said that they agree on passing legislation to restrict trans inclusion in women's sports in order to reach a compromise that will provide other civil rights protections for transgenders. 

Moulton also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for failing to respond to criticisms about the party's stance on transgender rights and her own record of supporting taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners. He says the party has weakened itself by failing to discuss the issue and the consequences of its support for pro-trans legislation in recent years. 

"We have a challenge as a part of even in engaging in debate about certain issues," Moulton said. "We are not allowed to talk about that in the Democratic Party, it's forbidden. This is not up for debate, you can't even raise the issue. This is the same attitude that a lot of Democrats had when problems propped up at the southern border, and we said, ‘Nope, nothing going on there, nothing to see there.' It's the same issue we had when inflation started under President Biden and the White House said, ‘Oh it’s transitory, don't worry, it will go away.'

"We've worked so hard to be tolerant of all these distinct minority groups, that as a whole we've become intolerant if you disagree with the perspectives of any of those distinct groups."

REP MOULTON SAYS FELLOW DEMS PRIVATELY AGREE WITH HIS CRITICISM OF PARTY

Moulton is one of many Democrats who have spoken out against trans athletes in women's sports as it proved to be a major vulnerability for his part in the recent election cycle. 

He was subjected to fierce backlash by Democratic allies for his comments last month in a New York Times article after President-elect Trump's election victory. Moulton spoke out against his own party for making too much of an effort to champion trans inclusion in women's sports, and blamed it as a reason for losing the election. 

"I have two little girls. I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that," Moulton said. 

Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., also spoke out against trans inclusion in women's sports in the same article. 

Despite the backlash, Moulton has since defended and doubled-down on his comments. The backlash has included calls to resign, a pro-transgender rally that took place outside his Salem office on Nov. 18, and many Massachusetts Democrats expressing the intent to have him replaced in the 2026 midterms.  

Moulton scolded his party for shutting out opposing opinions and failing to address voters' fears in an opinion article published in the Washington Post at the end of November. 

"Since Election Day, I’ve learned two things about the Democratic Party: The word police will continue to patrol no matter how badly we lose, and a growing number of us are finally ready to move beyond them to start winning again," Moulton wrote in his Post op-ed headlined, "I'm done with Democratic purity tests."

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Massachusetts has seen a spike in illegal migrants arrested for sex offenses over the last several months as the state and city of Boston have pledged to resist President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportations.

Since August, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officials have arrested 26 illegal migrants in the Boston area for sex crimes against children ranging from child rape to sexual assault to distributing child pornography.

Many of these migrants were previously removed from the U.S. only to later illegally re-enter the country.

As recently as Dec. 3, an illegal migrant, Adrian Patricio Huerta-Nivelo, 25, was removed by ICE after it was discovered he was wanted for rape of a minor in his home country of Ecuador.

ICE NABS ANOTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN MASS. CHARGED WITH CHILD SEX CRIME, AS GOV SNUBS TRUMP DEPORTATIONS

Nivelo’s removal came just a day after the Boston City Council unanimously voted to reaffirm a 2019 measure restricting Boston police’s ability to cooperate with ICE in deporting illegal migrants. The measure seeks to protect immigrant communities from "unjust enforcement actions" and restricts Boston police’s ability to cooperate with ICE and bans police from keeping migrants in custody for possible deportation unless there is a criminal warrant.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has also vowed that state police would "absolutely not" assist Trump in the mass deportations operation.

Despite this, a spokesperson for Healey denied that Massachusetts is a "sanctuary state," telling Fox News Digital that "as a former prosecutor and attorney general, the governor believes violent criminals should be deported."

Boston officials have been largely silent on the series of sex crimes against residents in the city. Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, and the Boston City Council did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

MIGRANT ACCUSED OF VIOLENT CRIMES ARRESTED BY ICE AFTER MASSACHUSETTS COURT REFUSED TO HONOR DETAINER

Boston ICE officials arrested six illegal migrants for sex crimes against children in November.

One of the most recent arrests, announced by ICE on Dec. 5, involved a 46-year-old Honduran national named Salvador Castro Garcia, who is charged with indecent assault and battery of a child under 14.

Garcia was previously deported in 2001 but then re-entered the country at an unknown location and time. ICE took Garcia into custody on Nov. 21 after he was released on bail by the Brockton District Court.

In addition to Garcia, Boston ICE ERO officials arrested Felix Meletz Guarcas, a 45-year-old Guatemalan national, on Nov. 20 after he was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault of a minor.

'SANCTUARY' CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP'S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: 'CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR'

According to an ICE statement, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections refused ICE’s request to hold Guarcas in custody, forcing agents to make a dangerous arrest in a public parking lot. ICE is currently holding Guarcas in custody pending a hearing before an immigration judge.

On Nov. 18, Boston ICE officials arrested Belardis Tapia Gonzalez, a Dominican national charged with second-degree child molestation-sexual assault, and Alexandre Romao De Oliveira, who was charged with rape of a child in his home country of Brazil.

Billy Erney Buitrago-Bustos, a 42-year-old Colombian migrant, was arrested by ICE in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on Nov. 15 after being charged with rape of a child by force, statutory rape, and aggravated rape against a minor.  

On Nov. 12, ICE arrested Guatemalan illegal migrant Mynor Stiven De Paz-Munoz, 21, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, after he was charged in Massachusetts with rape of child by force, rape of a child and indecent assault and battery against a minor.

Boston ICE ERO arrested three illegal migrants for child sex crimes in October.

Officials arrested Andre Tiago Lucas, 36, from Brazil, on Oct. 31. Lucas fled his native country after being convicted of the rape of a 13-year-old child.

Two more migrants – Colombian national Mateo Hincapie Cardona, 28, and 20-year-old Guatemalan national Selvin Alex Galvez-Mejia – were arrested by Boston ICE ERO on Oct. 29 and Oct. 18, respectively.

Cardona is charged with enticing a child under 16, distribution of obscene matter, and lascivious posing and exhibiting a child in the nude. Mejia is charged with rape and indecent assault and battery against a minor.

Boston ICE officials arrested nine illegal migrants charged with sex crimes against children in September.

Maynor Francisco Hernandez-Rodas, a 38-year-old Guatemalan national, was arrested by Boston ICE ERO on Sept. 20. He was charged with forcibly raping a Massachusetts minor.

Within a single week, seven illegal migrants - Abraham Malpica, Sept. 13, Angel Gabriel Deras-Mejia, Sept. 12, Enrique Alberto Ortiz-Brito, Sept. 12, Felix Alberto Perez-Gomez, Sept. 11, Gean Do Amaral Belafronte, Sept. 11, Jefferson Jerome, Sept. 11, Bryan Daniel Aldana-Arevalo, Sept. 10, Elmer Sola, Sept. 10 – were arrested by Boston ICE officials for sex crimes.

On Aug. 1 Jorge Luis Castro-Alvarado, 28, Guatemala, was arrested after raping a Massachusetts resident.

In August, six illegal migrants – Akim Marc Desire, 18, Haiti, Warley Neto, 24, Brazil, Elmer Perez, 49, Guatemala, Cory Bernard Alvarez, 26, Haiti, Marc Kervens Beauvais, 34, Haiti, Jackson Bento-Pinheiro, 35, Brazil – were arrested by Boston ICE for sex crimes against children.

President Biden on Friday picked up a copy of a book that described Israel as a colonial power in the face of Palestinian resistance despite his repeated support for the Jewish state. 

Biden was spotted by the press leaving Nantucket Bookworks holding a copy of "The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017" by Columbia University professor emeritus Rashid Khalidi, the New York Post reported. 

"I do not speak to the Post (or the Times for that matter), so this is not for publication, but my reaction is that this is four years too late," Khalidi told the Post of Biden holding his book. 

The newspaper noted it did not agree to any terms conditioning Khalidi's response as off the record or on background.

ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS ARRESTED IN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING

Fox News Digital has reached out to Khalidi and the White House.

The book argues that "the modern history of Palestine can best be understood in these terms: as a colonial war waged against the indigenous population, by a variety of parties, to force them to relinquish their homeland to another people against their will." 

It was not clear if Biden purchased the book or if it was given to him. 

Khalidi, who is of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, called the first Trump administration a "mouthpiece" for Israel and has criticized Israel over the humanitarian toll in Gaza after Hamas killed about 1,200 people inside Israel Oct. 7, 2023, in addition to kidnapping hostages, including Americans. 

"It’s perfectly unclear, reading the Israeli press, what their political objective is. I mean, ethnic cleansing. That’s not a political objective. They’re doing that. They’re driving the population of the Northern Gaza Strip into the Southern Gaza Strip. But what their political objective is, is, to me, entirely unclear, in the writings of, as far as one can tell, from the Israeli press," he said on the "Intercepted" podcast in November 2023.

Biden has repeatedly declared his support for Israel but has been criticized by Israeli supporters for putting conditions on U.S. aid to the Middle East ally and pausing shipments of heavy munitions to Israel earlier this year.

Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian supporters, who nicknamed Biden "Genocide Joe," have increasingly criticized him and Netanyahu over civilian casualties in Gaza. Biden has also reportedly criticized his Israeli counterpart behind closed doors, the Post reported. 

The book, published in 2020 before Trump brokered relationships between Israel and five Muslim countries, criticized Trump for moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day war. 

In the book, Khalidi wrote about Israel's alleged discriminatory policies against Palestinians.

"Settler-colonial confrontations with indigenous peoples have only ended in one of three ways: with the elimination of full subjugation of the native population, as in North America; with the defeat and expulsion of the colonizer, as in Algeria, which is extremely rare; or with the abandonment of colonial supremacy, in the context of compromise and reconciliation, as in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ireland," he wrote.

He also praised the first intifada by Palestinians against Israel, which occurred from 1987 to 1993 and left more than 2,000 people dead, the Post wrote. 

"The First Intifada was an outstanding example of popular resistance against oppression and can be considered as being the first unmitigated victory for the Palestinians in the long colonial war that began in 1917," the book says.

President Biden on Thanksgiving said he was thankful that the transition of power to a second Trump administration has gone smoothly, while urging the incoming commander-in-chief to "rethink" threats to impose steep tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods. 

"I hope that [President-elect Trump] rethinks it. I think it's a counterproductive thing to do," Biden told reporters Thursday on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he was spending the holiday with family. "We're surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Oceans and two allies — Mexico and Canada. The last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships. I think that we got them in a good place."

Earlier this week, Trump vowed to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada in an effort to get both nations to do more to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into the U.S. Trump spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo on Wednesday, and both apparently came to an understanding, he said. 

CHINA FREES US PASTOR AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS OF WRONGFUL DETAINMENT

"She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "We also talked about what can be done to stop the massive drug inflow into the United States, and also, U.S. consumption of these drugs. It was a very productive conversation!"

Trump also threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on China. Biden said Chinese President Xi Jinping "doesn't want to make a mistake."

"I am not saying he is our best buddy, but he understands what's at stake," he said. 

DONALD TRUMP CALLS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES TO APOLOGIZE FOR 'GETTING YEARS OF TRUMP COVERAGE WRONG'

President Biden also said Thursday that illegal border crossings have been "down considerably" since Trump's first term in office. Trump heavily campaigned on the border crisis that exploded after Biden took office. 

The president also said he was pleased with the cease-fire deal between Israel and Lebanon and that he was "very, very happy" about China releasing three Americans who were "wrongfully detained" for several years. 

Regarding the transition from his presidency to a second Trump administration, Biden said he wants the process to occur without any hiccups.  

"I want to make sure it goes smoothly. And all the talk about what he is going to do and not do, I think that maybe it is a little bit of internal reckoning on his part," he said. 

The Massachusetts GOP (MassGOP) issued scathing remarks toward Democrats Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu after U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrests of three illegal immigrants on child rape charges.

Healey and Wu have both been vocal about their opposition to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promise to conduct mass deportations of illegal immigrants once he returns to the Oval Office in January.

This month, Healey vowed that her state police will "absolutely not" cooperate with the expected mass deportation effort by the incoming Trump administration, warning that she will use "every tool in the toolbox" to "protect" residents in the blue state.

Wu also took a stance against Trump during an interview on Sunday, saying her city will not cooperate with the incoming administration's looming mass deportation operation despite the region seeing a number of illegal immigrants with criminal charges getting released back onto the streets.

ICE ARRESTS 3 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN MASS.: 2 CHARGED WITH CHILD RAPE, 1 CONVICTED OF SAME CRIME IN BRAZIL

Even after the two leaders made their positions on not working with Trump on immigration public, ICE on Wednesday announced the arrests of two illegal immigrants charged with forcibly raping children in Massachusetts and the arrest of a third individual who was convicted of raping a child in Brazil before fleeing to the U.S. and going into hiding after being caught and released at the U.S. border in 2022.

In a news release Thursday, MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale called the positions taken by Healey and Wu "appalling and disgusting" and accused them of prioritizing the appeasement of the most radical elements of their political base over the safety of residents.

"Parents across the Commonwealth are horrified that individuals charged with such serious crimes are allowed to roam free because local authorities refuse to work with ICE to remove these criminals from our streets," Carnevale said. "Massachusetts residents have had enough. These harrowing incidents are becoming far too frequent. When our state’s top leaders go on television to proclaim that Massachusetts will protect illegal immigrants and refuse to cooperate with ICE, they send a dangerous message that invites more of this behavior into our communities. By doing so, they are complicit in the chaos that follows."

DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS

"It’s time for Democrats to put politics aside and work with federal authorities to end this alarming pattern in Massachusetts," she added.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Healey's office said, "As part of immigration enforcement, the Governor believes individuals who commit violent crimes like those alleged here should be deported."

Wu’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.

The three suspects arrested by ICE were identified this week as 21-year-old Mynor Stiven De Paz-Munoz of Guatemala, 42-year-old Billy Erney Buitrago-Bustos of Colombia and 41-year-old Alexandre Romao De Oliveira of Brazil.

‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP'S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR’

ICE said Wednesday that De Paz-Munoz entered the U.S. on Sept. 24, 2020, near Eagle Pass, Texas, before getting released by U.S. Border Patrol with a notice to appear before an immigration review judge.

He was later arrested in western Massachusetts by Great Barrington police on Feb. 29, 2024, for rape of a child by force, rape of a child, and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older.

Despite ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston office lodging a detainer with the police department, De Paz-Munoz was released on bail. He has since been taken into custody.

Buitrago-Bustos was admitted into the U.S. on May 4, 2016, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, though he failed to leave under the terms of his visa.

TRUMP CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MAJOR STEP IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH TO ‘REVERSE THE BIDEN INVASION’

After his arrest in October 2023, ERO Boston lodged an immigration arrest with the Great Barrington Police Department. Later that month, Buitrago-Bustos was arraigned in Southern Berkshire District Court and held without bail. The charges were elevated to Berkshire County Superior Court on March 18, which honored the immigration detainer and released him into custody of ERO Boston on Nov. 15 after he posted bail.

Romao De Oliveira is a foreign fugitive convicted of raping a child in Brazil.

He was convicted in the First Criminal Court of Jaru, Rondônia, Brazil, on Feb. 10, 2022, and sentenced to serve 14 years behind bars.

But according to ICE, Romao De Oliveira fled Brazil before he could serve his sentence. On April 16, 2022, Romao De Oliveira entered the U.S. near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, without admission by an immigration official and was released from custody after being served a notice to appear before a DOJ immigration review judge.

MassGOP spokesperson Logan Trupiano told Fox News Digital that State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and House Minority Leader Brad Jones have filed legislation to close loopholes created by a 2017 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Decision that barred state courts from cooperating with ICE detainers. As a result, the ruling facilitated the release of illegal immigrants accused of crimes on bail rather than honoring federal immigration detainers.

"Filed a month ago, this critical legislation addresses the public safety risks stemming from the decision," Trupiano said. "We urge the Democratic supermajority in the legislature to put political posturing aside, prioritize public safety and pass this important measure."

The immigration issues stretch across the U.S., and on Wednesday, House Republicans pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for an answer about how the U.S. lost track of thousands of unaccounted migrant children. He was also asked about fumbling the vetting process that allegedly allowed some minors to be sent to gang members and sometimes even a strip club.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

President-elect Trump flipped six highly competitive states in his election victory last week. But as a Fox News analysis showed last week, his gains with voters were not limited to the battlegrounds. 

This list covers the 10 states where Trump most outperformed his 2020 margins.

Notably, conservative strongholds aren’t the only states that made the list. The top 10 also includes deeply Democrat areas. Trump didn’t win these states, but they swung to the right.

Vote counting continues in some highly populated states on this list, including California and New York.

IN ELECTION VICTORY, TRUMP'S GAINS WENT BEYOND THE BATTLEGROUNDS

Note: As of this writing, approximately 3% of ballots have not yet been counted in New York.

So far, New York has swung 11 points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 6.3-point improvement on his 2020 vote share, while his Democrat opponent, Vice President Harris, slipped by five points.

He gained across the state, with his largest swings in New York City and Long Island.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Harris would win the state. With 97% of the vote counted, she is winning by 12 points.

TRUMP TRAIN CHUGS PAST 2020 MARGINS, PARTICULARLY AMONG HISPANICS, URBAN NORTHEASTERNERS

Note: As of this writing, approximately 1% of ballots have not yet been counted in New Jersey.

So far, New Jersey has swung 10 points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 4.7-point improvement on his 2020 vote share, while Harris slipped by 5.3 points.

He gained across New Jersey, with his largest swings in the northeast corner of the state. Hudson and Passaic counties lead the pack.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Harris would win the state. With 99% of the vote counted, she is winning by six points.

Florida swung 10 points toward Trump.

'FASCIST': LIBERAL CRITICS MELT DOWN AFTER FLORIDA VOTERS REJECT ABORTION RIGHTS AMENDMENT

The president-elect posted a 4.9-point improvement on his 2020 vote share; Harris slipped by the same amount.

He gained across the state. The most notable swing was in Miami-Dade County, which flipped to the GOP for the first time since 1988.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Trump would win the state. With the results certified, he won by 13 points.

Massachusetts swung nine points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 4.2-point improvement on his 2020 vote share and Harris slipped by 4.6 points.

ABORTION SUPPORTERS AT WOMEN'S MARCH IN BOSTON TURN OUT IN DROVES TO SUPPORT HARRIS PRESIDENCY

He gained across the state, with double-digit swings in Suffolk County, which includes Boston, and Bristol County.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Harris would win the state. With 99% of the vote counted, she is winning by 25 points.

Note: As of this writing, approximately 5% of ballots have not yet been counted in California.

So far, California has swung nine points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 3.8-point improvement on his 2020 vote share as Harris slipped by 4.8 points.

He gained in many areas across the state, including the two most populated cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Harris would win the state. With 95% of the vote counted, she is winning by 21 points.

DEMOCRAT WINS HOUSE RACE TO RETAIN SEAT IN CALIFORNIA'S 21ST DISTRICT

Texas swung eight points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 4.2-point improvement on his 2020 vote share; Harris slipped by roughly the same amount.

He gained across Texas, with the largest swings concentrated in the southern parts of the state. Webb County, for example, home to Laredo, moved 25 points toward Trump. That gave Republicans their first win there in over a century.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Trump would win the state. With 99% of the vote counted, he is winning by 14 points.

Note: As of this writing, approximately 2% of ballots have not yet been counted in Mississippi.

So far, Mississippi has swung eight points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a four-point improvement on his 2020 vote share; Harris slipped by roughly the same amount.

EX-TRUMP OFFICIAL PREDICTS ‘ENTIRE MINDSET CHANGE’ AT SOUTHERN BORDER, HAILS ‘FANTASTIC’ PICK TO LEAD DHS

He gained across the state, including in Yazoo County, a majority-Black county that last voted for the GOP in 2004.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Trump would win the state. With 98% of the vote counted, he is winning by 24 points.

Rhode Island swung seven points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 3.3-point improvement on his 2020 vote share, while Harris slipped by four points.

He gained across the state, led by Providence, the city’s highest-populated area.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Harris would win the state. With 98% of the vote counted, she is winning by 14 points.

REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA

Tennessee swung 6.5 points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 3.5-point improvement on his 2020 vote share, while Harris slipped by three points.

He gained across the state, including a double-digit swing in Trousdale County, a rural area outside the Nashville metropolitan area.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Trump would win the state. With 99% of the vote counted, he is winning by 30 points.

Note: As of this writing, approximately 1% of ballots have not yet been counted in Illinois.

So far, Illinois has swung six points toward Trump.

The president-elect posted a 3.4-point improvement on his 2020 vote share; Harris slipped by 2.9 points.

He gained across Illinois, with a notable eight-point swing in Cook County, home to Chicago.

On election night, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Harris would win the state. With 99% of the vote counted, she is winning by 11 points.