Federal immigration enforcement is ramping up in Massachusetts under a new effort aimed at arresting criminal illegal aliens, part of a broader crackdown aligned with President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
Dubbed Operation Patriot 2.0, the initiative is being led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It targets individuals in the country illegally who have committed serious crimes—including sexual assault, drug trafficking, and homicide.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson stated that sanctuary policies—like those adopted by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu—are shielding dangerous individuals from accountability. “Sanctuary policies like those pushed by Mayor Wu not only attract and harbor criminals but also place these public safety threats above the interests of law-abiding American citizens,” the spokesperson said.
The previous iteration of the operation led to 1,500 arrests nationwide in May, and ICE is now deploying additional resources to Massachusetts, where local resistance to immigration enforcement has been particularly high.
Despite official city policy discouraging cooperation with ICE, federal officials claim many local police officers are quietly providing information to assist in apprehending suspects. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has previously acknowledged that many within the Boston Police Department are helping behind the scenes, stating, “We have so many men and women... that want to work with us and that are actually helping us.”
The stepped-up enforcement comes as ICE continues to arrest tens of thousands of illegal aliens nationwide. In June alone, agents made over 30,000 arrests—many of which involved individuals with violent criminal records.
Federal funding for ICE operations has also surged under recent congressional approval, including billions for additional detention space and the hiring of more deportation agents.
Another key objective of the renewed immigration focus is to disrupt the financing of human smuggling networks. Many U.S.-based illegal aliens are believed to be funneling money earned from domestic jobs to cartels and smugglers bringing in children and teenagers from Central America. ICE has begun targeting these financial pipelines in addition to arresting smugglers and handlers directly involved in transporting minors across the border.
While critics argue these operations promote fear in immigrant communities, supporters contend that prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens is a basic function of law enforcement—and a necessary step to protect American citizens from repeat offenders.