BOSTON (AP) — Immigrants in Metro Boston are facing increased detainment risks as President Donald Trump focuses on targeting so-called sanctuary cities to bolster immigration enforcement. Reports indicate that ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has been detaining individuals while they are commuting to work, outside courthouses, and even in store parking lots. Families are opting to stay home, fearing detainment, leading to a reported increase in unmarked ICE vehicles observed in immigrant neighborhoods, often targeting work vans. In a recent incident, a video captured agents smashing the window of a truck to arrest three landscapers working on the Saugus Town Hall property.
Just north of Boston, the city of Everett took the notable step of canceling its annual Hispanic Heritage Month festival. Mayor Carlo DeMaria expressed concern that holding a celebration during a time when community members may feel unsafe would be inappropriate. This illustrates the heightened tension in immigrant communities amid intensified enforcement efforts. Public figures such as New Hampshire Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte have praised the actions of ICE, underscoring her commitment to maintaining strict anti-sanctuary policies.
Critics argue that the heightened ICE presence is exacerbating fear within immigrant communities. Elizabeth Sweet, the executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, stated that anxiety levels are already high, and the ongoing arrests only add to the distress. Cities like Boston and Chicago, where Mayor Brandon Johnson has openly condemned the Trump administration’s crackdown, have found themselves on ICE's radar. Trump has even suggested deploying the National Guard to Chicago, showcasing a willingness to expand federal enforcement measures.
On September 4, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Boston's Mayor Michelle Wu and the city’s police department over their sanctuary city policies, asserting that these policies obstruct immigration enforcement. Wu has condemned the lawsuit, accusing Trump of diverting attention from his administration's own failures. ICE's recent initiative, “Patriot 2.0,” follows a major crackdown earlier this summer that resulted in nearly 1,500 detentions in Massachusetts. This new operation has raised alarms, particularly as it coincides with a preliminary mayoral election where Wu secured a decisive victory.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin announced that the Boston operation would focus on apprehending “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.” She asserted that sanctuary policies enable criminals to evade justice at the expense of law-abiding citizens. The specific number of individuals detained under the “Patriot 2.0” operation has not been disclosed by ICE.
ICE has established detention contracts across various correctional facilities in New England, including county jails and a federal prison in Berlin, New Hampshire. Since early August, volunteers monitoring detainee flights from New Hampshire reported over 300 individuals have been transferred, with at least five flights per week conducting these operations.
Amid increasing ICE activity, organizations like the Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts have bolstered hotlines staffed with interpreters in multiple languages to assist those seeking information about ICE sightings. Kevin Lam, co-executive director of the Asian American Resource Workshop, noted a significant rise in ICE activity, including the detention of five Vietnamese residents from a Boston neighborhood. Many immigrants express fear about daily activities such as picking up their children from school or using public transportation. However, some continue to work despite the risks as they are essential breadwinners for their families.
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley has voiced her full support for ICE’s current operations, stating a readiness to prosecute any immigrants without legal status who commit crimes. However, advocates counter that many detained have no criminal records, raising concerns over collateral arrests affecting noncriminals as well. Alexandra Peredo Carroll, the director of legal education and advocacy at the Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice, criticized the narrative promoted by the Trump administration that mischaracterizes many individuals going through legal processes as criminals.
