Hundreds of alleged migrants arrested during Massachusetts ICE operation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained 370 illegal immigrants during a six-day raid in Massachusetts, according to a Monday statement from the department. The operation ran from March 18-23 and targeted alleged criminal migrants associated with gangs like MS-13, Tren de Aragua, and Trinitarios. Over 200 of the migrants arrested had been previously convicted or charged with serious criminal offenses, according to the statement.

Officials also seized nearly 100 pounds of methamphetamines and over 10 pounds of fentanyl during the arrests, along with several firearms with ammunition. ICE noted several migrants with serious criminal convictions or charges who had illegally re-entered the United States after being previously deported. Some migrants arrested had charges or convictions for child rape, drug distribution, battery, weapons trafficking, and homicide, according to the statement.

This operation targeted the most egregious offenders in and around Boston, and locals are safer because of it, according to Patricia Hyde, ICE’s enforcement and removal operations Boston acting field office director. Everyone should agree that illegal migrants with criminal records endanger communities and should not be tolerated, added U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Leah B. Foley. The department made many of the arrests with federal partners because local jurisdictions refused to honor immigration detainer requests and released the suspected criminal migrants back into communities, ICE said.

How can local officials just refuse to honor federal law? Some state and local governments took issue with the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and enacted policies barring local authorities from complying with ICE. For example, the Department of Justice sued the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago in early February over local sanctuary laws barring local agencies from helping federal agencies enforce immigration law.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report on states and cities enacting policies to preemptively push back on ICE raids before Trump took office.