A new report from The New York Times says the Trump Administration has rolled out a new federal immigration enforcement initiative in Massachusetts, aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants with criminal records.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the operation includes the city of Boston, with sources stating that the operation began in early September and is expected to last several weeks. The effort reflects a broader strategy by the Trump administration to escalate deportations in cities led by Democratic officials who oppose federal immigration measures.
DHS confirmed Sunday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun an operation called “Patriot 2.0”, designed to build on the May campaign known as Operation Patriot. The agency said the effort will focus on what it described as “the worst of the worst” offenders living in the state.
In its statement, DHS criticized Boston Mayor Michelle Wu over the city’s sanctuary policies, arguing they shield undocumented immigrants from federal enforcement. The agency claimed those measures “not only attract and harbor criminals but also place these public safety threats above the interests of law-abiding American citizens,” vowing that DHS will arrest criminals released by local authorities. The statement continues to state that “under President Trump and Secretary Noem, nowhere is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return.”
Earlier this month, the Justice Department filed suit against Mayor Wu over Boston’s sanctuary policy, which limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities.Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey criticized the federal action, telling MSNBC on Sunday: “What we have seen from ICE and from the administration really isn’t about public safety, it’s about political theater. It’s about a political power grab and an attempt to intimidate.”
White House officials told CNN that the Boston operation coincides with similar enforcement plans in Chicago, part of a broader push to crack down on sanctuary cities in the months ahead. Both operations mirror a large-scale initiative in Los Angeles earlier this year, where federal authorities reported 5,000 arrests since June. Officials added that the president has the option of deploying the National Guard in Boston or Chicago if federal agents determine additional support is needed to maintain order.
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