Report: Boston ICE blitz could come as soon as September
The Trump administration could unleash a massive immigration enforcement blitz in Boston as soon as September, according to a published report.
The clampdown, already expected, could come soon after a similar action in Chicago next month, or it could happen concurrently, Politico reported Friday , citing a Trump administration official.
The White House has stepped up its rhetorical war against cities led by Democrats in recent weeks. It has also physically manifested it — in the case of the deployment of National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
"All these sanctuary cities that refuse to work with ICE where we know public safety threats are being released every day into this country, especially those cities, we're going to address that," border czar Tom Homan said at the White House this week, according to Politico.
"So we're going to take the assets we have and move them to problem areas like sanctuary cities where we know for a fact there are public safety threats, illegal aliens on the streets every day," Homan said.
The Republican White House has clashed repeatedly with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat seeking reelection to a second term in November, over the city's immigration policies.
The city's policy, set by a local law known as the Trust Act , allows Boston Police Department officers to work with ICE on criminal investigations, but limits their ability to cooperate on or share information related to civil immigration enforcement. Officials say the policy allows Boston residents to feel more comfortable interacting with police, improving police-community relations.
The Trump administration sees things differently, accusing city leaders of hampering efforts to detain dangerous criminals.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump's top immigration officer pledged a surge of federal agents to Boston after the city said it would defy pressure to change its immigration policies to match the federal government's.
An increased federal presence around Boston could take the shape of the multi-week immigration enforcement operation ICE conducted across Massachusetts in May, during which it detained nearly 1,500 people. Lyons said then : "Make no mistake: ICE is going to keep doing this."
Earlier this week, Trump hinted that an action in Chicago could be imminent.
"We go in, we will solve Chicago within one week, maybe less," Trump said, according to Politico. "But within one week we'll have no crime in Chicago, like no crime in D.C."
Officials at the Naval Station Great Lakes, north of Chicago, said they had "been approached by the Department of Homeland Security regarding a potential request to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations," Politico reported.
The enforcement actions in Chicago and Boston are expected to begin with increased immigration enforcement, similar to what unfolded in Los Angeles, Politico reported, citing a current and former administration official.
Clashes with those officers could provide the White House with the justification to deploy National Guard soldiers, the online news outlet reported.
Wu's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this week, however, Wu told WGBH-FM's Boston Public Radio program that her office was already making preparations for a possible Guard deployment to the city.
"We are following what's happening in other cities around the country very closely," Wu said.
"Unfortunately, we have seen a little bit of what it would look like if that should come to pass, and that this federal administration is willing to go beyond the bounds of constitutional authority and federal law to try to activate National Guards even when local communities aren't asking for it and don't want it," Wu continued.
Wu told the station that her office was "reviewing all the court cases now, and getting ready should it come to that. And we'd be working very closely with community members to ensure people know what's happening and that this is not something that is needed or wanted or legally sound."
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment by MassLive.
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