The city of Boston at the center of a new federal offensive.
According to The New York Times, ICE launched a large-scale operation in Massachusetts.
The operation, called Patriot 2.0, is expected to last several weeks. It comes just before possible federal interventions planned in Chicago, according to the Times.
A government official told the New York Times, on condition of anonymity, that President Donald Trump is preparing additional immigration raids later this month.
For months, the White House announced an escalation of actions against so-called “sanctuary cities,” which restrict cooperation with ICE.
In this context, Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, stated that immigration law enforcement would continue to ramp up in several major cities.
Another official, also speaking anonymously, explained that Boston was targeted specifically because of its policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
According to the Times, ICE agents will mainly target individuals who have a criminal record but not handed over to immigration authorities.
Michelle Wu Criticizes Federal Methods
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu openly opposed Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
During a June interview on Boston Public Radio, she said: “These tactics are the opposite of what makes communities safer. No one is buying it.” She added: “We know what safety looks like in the city of Boston.”
“Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law — city, state, and federal,” she wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi. “We are the safest major city in the country because every resident takes part in keeping the whole community safe,” she continued. “Stop attacking cities to cover up your administration’s failures,” the mayor added.
Federal Lawsuit Against Boston
Nevertheless, Wu’s responses did very little to deter the Trump administration.
On Thursday, the Department of Justice officially filed a lawsuit against Boston and its mayor, arguing that their policies violate federal law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi harshly criticized the city: “Boston and its mayor are among the worst sanctuary offenders in America.”
She further stated: “They enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens.”
Bondi also warned of additional action if Mayor Wu continued to resist cooperation. “If Boston refuses to protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.”
Similar lawsuits filed against New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles.
ICE often relies on the collaboration of states and municipalities for its operations, especially deportations.
However, sanctuary cities like Boston restrict this cooperation, favoring instead community trust.
The Trump administration, on the other hand, argues that such policies endanger public safety.
Mayor Wu, by contrast, insists that safety depends on the inclusion of all residents. She also reminded that Boston consistently ranked the safest major city in the United States for several years.
Boston is home to the third-largest Haitian community in the United States, after Miami and New York.
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Source: The Independent
