BOSTON (AP) — Immigrants are being detained while going to work, outside courthouses, and at store parking lots in Metro Boston as President Donald Trump targets so-called sanctuary cities in his effort to ramp up immigration enforcement.
As families hole up in homes — afraid to leave and risk detainment — advocates are reporting an increased presence of unmarked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles sitting in parking lots and other public areas throughout immigrant communities, where agents appeared to target work vans. One man captured a video of three landscapers who were working on the Saugus Town Hall property being arrested after agents smashed their truck window.
Just north of Boston, the city of Everett canceled its annual Hispanic Heritage Month festival after its mayor said it wouldn’t be right to “hold a celebration at a time when community members may not feel safe attending.”
The actions have been praised by public officials like New Hampshire Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who signed legislation this year banning sanctuary city policies in her state, vowing not to let New Hampshire “go the way of Massachusetts.” ICE this summer began utilizing a New Hampshire airport about an hour from Boston to transport New England detainees.
However, others argue that ICE’s presence in Massachusetts is doing more harm than good. “This is really increasing the fear in communities, which is already incredibly high,” said Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
Trump aims at so-called ‘sanctuaries’
Cities like Boston and Chicago — where Mayor Brandon Johnson has also condemned the Trump administration’s recent immigration crackdown, calling it an example of “tyranny” — have become targets for enforcement in recent days. Trump also threatened to potentially deploy the National Guard to Chicago.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Mayor Michelle Wu, the city of Boston, and its police department over its sanctuary city policies, claiming they’re interfering with immigration enforcement. In response, Wu accused Trump of “attacking cities to hide his administration’s failures.”
Now, ICE has launched an operation it called “Patriot 2.0" on the heels of a May crackdown where nearly 1,500 immigrants were detained in Massachusetts. Its latest operation came days before a preliminary mayoral election, where incumbent Wu won easily. The mayor has become a frequent target over her defense of the city and its policies that limit cooperation between local police and federal immigration agents.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the Boston surge would focus on “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens” living in Massachusetts.
“Sanctuary policies like those pushed by Mayor Wu not only attract and harbor criminals but protect them at the peril of law-abiding American citizens,” she said.
ICE has contracts to detain people at multiple correctional facilities across New England, including county jails and a privately operated prison in Rhode Island. Volunteers have documented the transfer of over 300 individuals since early August, amid claims that ICE agents are only targeting criminals. Critics argue that it goes beyond “bad immigrants” to include individuals with pending immigration statuses.
Luce, the Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts, staffed its hotline with interpreters to collect information about ICE sightings. Kevin Lam of the Asian American Resource Workshop noted that many immigrants express fear about necessary activities like school pick-ups and public transit. Despite this, many feel compelled to continue working to support their families.
Republican Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley expressed strong support for ICE’s operations, while advocates warn this may lead to communities torn apart. As the situation continues to evolve, it raises concerns over safety, community ties, and the human impact of immigration policies.
