Trump Administration Targets ‘Sanctuary Cities’ with Raids in Boston, Plans More
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly started an operation in Boston to detain immigrants, just days before the Trump administration is expected to send federal agents and the military to conduct similar raids in Chicago. The Boston initiative, dubbed “Operation Patriot 2.0,” is reportedly set to last several weeks.
According to sources who spoke to the New York Times, this is part of a broader crackdown on “sanctuary cities,” where local officials limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
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Boston has been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The city’s mayor, Michelle Wu, has publicly stated that these tactics are counterproductive to public safety.
“We know what safety looks like in the city of Boston,” Wu said, adding that the city is the safest major city in the U.S. because all its residents, regardless of immigration status, feel safe enough to cooperate with law enforcement.
Mayor Wu has also emphasized that Boston follows the law and will defend its constitutional rights against what she views as political attacks. “We will not yield,” she said in response to a lawsuit the Trump administration filed against Boston over its sanctuary policies.
The administration also sued New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles on similar grounds, arguing that these policies violate federal law and protect “illegal aliens from justice,” as stated by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
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Sources indicate that ICE is specifically targeting criminal illegal immigrants who were previously jailed but not handed over to immigration officials. The Trump administration and its allies, including border czar Tom Homan, have consistently vowed to ramp up enforcement in sanctuary cities.
At a congressional hearing in March, Mayor Wu, alongside Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and New York Mayor Eric Adams, testified about their cities’ immigration policies.
During her testimony, Wu urged lawmakers to pass comprehensive, compassionate immigration reform, stating that it would make their jobs “possible.”
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