Mass. U.S. Attorney focused on "cases that make a difference," despite 12,000% increase in immigration lawsuits
During a roundtable with reporters, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley touted her office's successes including an 80% increase in cases charged compared to 2024, 50 of them, child exploitation cases.
With a chaotic immigration surge coming to an end in Minnesota, the conversation turned to immigration operations in Massachusetts and whether Foley's office can handle them.
Immigration operations in Massachusetts
Foley told reporters her office has charged 140 criminal immigration cases and is handling 850 habeas corpus petitions, a 12,000% increase over 2024. All while Foley says her office is experiencing a 40% reduction in support staff and a 20% reduction in criminal prosecutors.
"I understand, nationally, that some offices are struggling to keep up with the volume. In this district I believe that our office has kept up with the investigations and the cases that make a difference to the community while also handling the immigration matters," Foley said.
The deluge of civil cases is due to two ICE surges in Massachusetts as well as one in Maine. Hundreds of immigrants have filed lawsuits in Boston federal court, challenging their detentions since the Trump administration has a policy to hold all individuals arrested by immigration officers without bond hearings.
Foley reacted to executive orders by Governor Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu preventing ICE from operating on state and city property.
"Federal officers follow federal law and they are not going to follow state law that is inapplicable to them," she said.
She also said she has no insight into whether the Trump administration will launch an additional ICE surge in Massachusetts.
Asked about the behavior of ICE agents and allegations that agents have violated the constitutional rights of people, Foley said she has seen no evidence that is happening in Massachusetts.
"I urge everyone to stop with the hyperbole. If you have something and you believe it's a crime, you can call the police, you can call the FBI. But just speculating or throwing that out, like, everyone's constitutional rights are being violated. Really? Really. Who did you refer that to?" Foley said.
U.S. Attorney's priorities for 2026
Foley said one of her top priorities in 2026 is to crack down on public benefit fraud. Already, her office has brought cases against eight people for fraud.
She also plans to bring awareness to a disturbing online network of extremists who are taking advantage of children. It is called the 764 network.
"Young children are being coerced into self-harming, cutting themselves, animal cruelty, and violence. Members have been linked to mass shooting plots and arsons, among other things," Foley said.
