Boston’s Mayor Wu has faced pressure from the Trump Administration regarding her city’s sanctuary policies. Despite her complaints, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remains steadfast. The agency executed a significant operation in May, culminating in the arrest of nearly 1,500 illegal aliens—one of the largest enforcement actions in its history.
Massachusetts is often recognized for its strong liberal leanings, yet many conservatives argue that its existing policies essentially render it a sanctuary state. Major cities like Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville enforce these sanctuary policies. In this context, ICE launched a robust crackdown targeting transnational crime, including gangs and those with serious criminal histories, during May.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the operation through a press release, stating, “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners apprehended almost 1,500 illegal aliens during a month-long enforcement operation.” This operation, dubbed Operation Patriot, involved collaboration with multiple federal agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Coast Guard.
According to the release, over half of those arrested had significant criminal records. “More than half the 1,461 arrested had significant criminal convictions or charges,” the DHS noted, pointing out that 790 of these offenders had committed severe crimes either in the U.S. or their native countries.
Patricia H. Hyde, acting Field Office Director for ICE Boston, highlighted the operation’s success, commenting, “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a safer place today thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners.” She emphasized the criminal backgrounds of those apprehended, stating, “Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested was breaking our immigration laws, but most of these individuals had significant criminality.” Her remarks reinforced the seriousness of their offenses, including murder, rape, and drug trafficking.
Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations New England, echoed these sentiments. He remarked, “Public safety and national security remain our number one priority, and we will continue to work every day with our partners toward this goal.” Together, these statements portray a diligent and aggressive approach toward immigration enforcement in Massachusetts, focusing on serious threats to public safety.
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