In a sweeping enforcement operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrest of nearly 400 individuals in Massachusetts, including over 200 illegal immigrants with serious criminal records or charges.
Between March 18 and March 23, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) conducted a large-scale operation in the Boston area, resulting in the arrest of 370 illegal immigrants. Among them, 205 had significant criminal histories or pending charges, including violent crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, and organized crime.
“The Commonwealth is a safer place for our residents to live and work because ICE and our federal law enforcement partners arrested hundreds of alien offenders and removed them from the streets of Massachusetts,” said Patricia H. Hyde, acting Field Office Director for ICE ERO Boston, reported Fox News.
ICE specifically focused on “egregious criminal alien offenders,” with a particular emphasis on members of notorious gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. These groups have been linked to violent crimes, including drug-related offenses and human trafficking. According to ICE, some of those arrested were actively involved in criminal enterprises within the Boston area.
Despite Boston’s designation as a “sanctuary city”—a status that limits local cooperation with federal immigration authorities—ICE carried out the operation successfully. Sanctuary policies often create challenges for federal immigration enforcement, but this latest effort underscores the agency’s commitment to removing individuals who pose a public safety threat.
The operation highlights the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities, with federal authorities continuing their efforts to apprehend individuals involved in serious criminal activities. As ICE intensifies its crackdown on high-risk offenders, the conversation around public safety and immigration policy is likely to remain a focal point in Massachusetts and beyond.
