BOSTON (WHDH) – The Department of Homeland Security is starting round two of its immigration crackdown in Boston, with ICE agents looking to make more arrests.
This increase is again being met with pushback from city and state leaders.
Dubbed “Patriot 2.0”, DHS officials told CNN their plan is to “target the worst criminal illegal aliens living in Massachusetts”.
The first round came in May, resulting in hundreds of arrests.
In a statement, officials blame Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for so-called sanctuary city policies that they say “not only attract and harbor criminals but also place these public safety threats above the interests of law-abiding American citizens”.
Wu said no Boston police or local resources will be used for civil immigration enforcement, writing: “For months, ICE has refused to provide any information about their activities in Boston and refuses to issue warrants, while we hear reports of ICE agents taking parents as they are dropping their kids off at school. That does not make our community safer.”
In a statement, Wu said: “For months, the Trump DOJ, DHS, and ICE have been spreading blatant lies and threatening to “bring hell” to cities like Boston who refuse to bow down to their authoritarian agenda, so this unconstitutional attack is not a surprise. This country was born facing down bullies, with Bostonians leading the way. Today Boston is the safest major city in the country because we have worked to build trust in the community, so that everyone feels safe seeking help or reporting a crime. We will not be bullied or intimidated into abandoning the efforts that make Boston a safe home for everyone.”
Governor Maura Healey said the ICE actions are not about public safety.
“We’ve seen constructon workers, nannies, landscapers, health care aides – these are the people that are being taken in huge numbers,” Healey said. “It is not the kind of effort Trump said it was about.”
White House officials told…