(The Center Square) – Over a span of 10 days in Massachusetts, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in partnership with federal law enforcement apprehended 370 “illegal aliens,” including several accused of murder and drug trafficking.
The roundup of “violent criminal aliens,” as a release called them, in the commonwealth comes after the city of Boston has come under fire from the Trump administration for its “sanctuary city” policies.
Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, warned Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox that ICE would be targeting the city.
“I’m coming to Boston, I’m bringing hell with me,” Homan said during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
According to ICE, the operation in the commonwealth focused on “transnational organized crime, gangs, and egregious illegal alien offenders.”
ICE, in cooperation with federal law enforcement partners, apprehended several alleged members of notorious transnational gangs, including the Salvadoran gang MS-13, the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, the Dominican gang Trinitarios, and the 18th Street gangs.
ICE officials say that of the 370 arrested, 205 “had significant convictions or charges. Six were foreign fugitives currently facing charges or convictions for murder, drug trafficking, organized crime.”
In addition, law enforcement officials seized drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. They also recovered firearms and ammunition from “illegal alien offenders” as part of the operation.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston interim Field Office Director Patricia Hyde says the operation targeted the most dangerous in some of the worst neighborhoods in the Boston area.
“Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in and around Boston," Hyde said. "Our efforts resulted in 370 arrests throughout the commonwealth. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the homeland through the eradication of transnational criminal organizations, dismantling dangerous criminal gangs preying on the American public, locating and arresting criminal alien offenders.”
ICE says that “many of the apprehensions” were made after “local jurisdictions refused to honor immigration detainer requests to turn over the offenders and instead chose to release aliens from custody.”
Earlier in the month, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was called to appear in front of the House Oversight Committee in Washington, D.C., about the city’s immigration policies.
Wu defended the city’s Police Department, saying it does partner with federal law enforcement.
“When it comes to criminal matters, the Boston police partner every day with state and federal law enforcement,” Wu said during her opening statement. “But Massachusetts state law and the Boston Trust Act make clear that immigration is federal law enforcement’s responsibility.”
Wu continued by defending the city as the “safest major city in the country,” crediting the city’s progressive gun laws and relationships law enforcement have “built” with residents that have created “trust.” The mayor slammed the Trump administration for “undermining that trust.”
A day before Wu was set to appear in Washington, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed similar warnings as Homan that the administration would be targeting the city in the apprehensions of “illegal aliens.”
In a post to social media, Bondi wrote, “I’d like to extend my condolences to the good people of Boston. Mayor Wu’s actions are callous and an insult to law enforcement across America. As a result of the Mayor's decision to side with public safety threats over law-abiding citizens, DOJ will have no choice but to increase efforts in the city of Boston. Criminals will be prosecuted, illegal aliens will be arrested, and justice will be served.”
During the operation, ICE partnered with several federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
