Immigration and Customs Enforcement has reportedly started detaining immigrants in Boston.
The ICE operation in Massachusetts is reportedly going to last several weeks, according to sources who spoke to the New York Times.
Operation Patriot 2.0, as the initiative is reportedly called, kicked off just days before President Donald Trump is expected to send the military and federal agents to conduct immigration raids in Chicago.
One U.S. official speaking anonymously told the paper that Trump has plans for even more immigration raids beginning this month.
The Trump administration has made numerous claims that it will crack down on "sanctuary cities," where local officials limit police assistance to federal immigration officials.
Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, said earlier this week that immigration enforcement would continue to ramp up in several so-called sanctuary cities.
A source who spoke to the Times on condition of anonymity reportedly said that ICE was targeting Boston specifically because of its policy to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
ICE is reportedly targeting immigrants who have previously been sent to jail but who were not turned over to immigration officials.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has been a vocal critic of Trump and his immigration policies.
“I’m just stating that these tactics are the opposite of what makes communities safer, and no one’s buying that line, that ‘we’re just here to help make everyone safer,’” she said during a June interview on Boston public radio. “We know what safety looks like in the city of Boston.”
Wu previously issued a statement saying Boston is the safest major city in the U.S. and that Trump’s forces aren’t needed to maintain that safety.
“Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law – city, state and federal,” Wu said in a statement. “We are the safest major city in the country because all of our community members know that they are part of how we keep the entire community safe. Stop attacking cities to hide your administration’s failures.”
In March, Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and New York Mayor Eric Adams were called to testify before Congress about their cities' immigration cooperation policies. During her time before Congress, she pleaded for lawmakers to pass comprehensive immigration reforms.
“Please: Pass comprehensive immigration law that is consistent and compassionate,” Wu responded. “That will make our jobs possible and we would so appreciate that partnership.”
On Thursday, the Trump administration sued Boston over its policies limiting police cooperation with federal immigration officials, arguing that the policies violate federal law.
Trump has launched similar lawsuits against New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles.
“The City of Boston and its Mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America – they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice.” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.”
Wu responded, saying that the city will defend its constitutional rights, according to Politico.
“This is our City, and we will vigorously defend our laws and the constitutional rights of cities, which have been repeatedly upheld in courts across the country,” Wu said. “We will not yield.”
