"Border czar" Tom Homan says he visited Boston, announces arrest of 370 "illegal aliens" in Massachusetts
President Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan said he traveled to Boston last Tuesday, weeks after he pledged that he would be "bringing hell" to the sanctuary city, and announced the arrest of hundreds of "illegal aliens" in Massachusetts.
Homan said his arrival in Boston coincided with the start of a multi-day operation involving several federal agencies that led to the arrest of 370 people in Massachusetts who are alleged to be in the country illegally. According to Homan, a majority of those arrested are "significant criminals."
"These arrests included 6 foreign fugitives, including four who were wanted for murder or to serve a criminal sentence for murder, along with drug traffickers, child sexual predators and numerous other violent public safety threats," Homan said Monday in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter. "These officers and agents made the neighborhoods of Boston and Massachusetts much safer."
ICE arrests in the Boston area
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the operation that ended Sunday was "focusing on transnational organized crime, gangs, and egregious illegal alien offenders."
"Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in and around Boston," Patricia Hyde, the acting Boston field office director for ICE enforcement and removal operations, said in a statement.
The Boston chapter of the FBI said it "will continue to support ICE with these efforts."
"There's no question our communities are safer today because of this enhanced, targeted operation," special agent in charge Jodi Cohen said in a statement.
Last Tuesday, video appeared to show an immigration raid in Chelsea's Bellingham Square. Those in the community said federal agents wearing police vests and masks took people into custody. Alex Train, the chief operating officer of local social services organization La Colaborativa, told WBZ-TV he witnessed the raid and said one of those detained is a 19-year-old asylum seeker who "is here completely legally."
"It is madness and completely inhumane," Train said.
ICE detainers in Massachusetts
Homan in his new statement took aim at Massachusetts' immigration enforcement policy.
"ICE had to find and arrest these illegal alien rapists because Massachusetts and Boston are sanctuaries that refuse to cooperate with ICE," Homan wrote in his post. "They would rather release these animals back into the community rather than honor ICE detainers or notify ICE when they are scheduled to be released."
WBZ-TV recently looked into Homan's claim that Massachusetts releases immigrants charged with violent crimes back into community. Records show that two accused child rapists were released after posting a $7,500 bail. Another man charged with assault to rape was released on personal recognizance. Two others charged with child rape had bail set at $500, and they were picked up by ICE.
WBZ law enforcement analyst Ed Davis says there are thousands of active warrants in Massachusetts right now, which the feds can use to track down offenders.
"Those tens of thousands of names can be cross referenced with people who have immigration detainers or other immigration actions against them or some who are just not showing up as U.S. citizens and then making a list from there, then the hard work comes in identifying exactly where they're at," said Ed Davis.
Davis added that the courts should be involved in the process.
"The bottom line is the courts should have the final say in who is processed and deported as part of due process and I think that's the question everybody has," said Davis.
Tom Homan vs. Michelle Wu
WBZ-TV has reached out to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's office for comment. At a Congressional hearing earlier this month, Wu defended Boston as "the safest major city in the country."
She also responded to Homan's criticism of Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox about not working with federal authorities to enforce immigration law. In Massachusetts, it's illegal for police to hold someone based solely on their immigration status.
"Let's talk about Tom Homan. Shame on him for lying about my city, for having the nerve to insult our police commissioner who has overseen the safest Boston's been in anyone's lifetime," Wu said.
Gov. Healey responds
In his statement on Monday, Homan again called out Wu and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, writing that they "should be ashamed of supporting sanctuary policies."
Healey responded by saying public safety should not be a partisan issue.
"Here are the facts. Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state, and Massachusetts law enforcement regularly partners with federal agencies and federal law enforcement to keep people safe," Healey said in a statement. "In fact, just two weeks ago, the Massachusetts State Police were brought to the White House and recognized by President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for our partnership in arresting two dozen members of a violent gang and fentanyl trafficking ring in Lawrence."
