ICE RAMPS UP ENFORCEMENT IN BOSTON AMID TRUMP’S NEW CRACKDOWN ON SANCTUARY CITIES. (PHOTO).

 ICE ramps up enforcement in Boston amid Trump’s new crackdown on sanctuary cities

Immigrants in the Boston metro area are being detained while heading to work, near courthouses, and even in store parking lots as President Donald Trump targets sanctuary cities in a heightened immigration enforcement campaign. Families are reportedly staying home out of fear, while advocates note an increased presence of unmarked ICE vehicles in public areas, where agents have been observed targeting work vans. One video shows three landscapers at Saugus Town Hall being arrested after agents smashed their truck window.

The surge in enforcement has led Everett, north of Boston, to cancel its annual Hispanic Heritage Month festival, with the mayor citing safety concerns for community members. While officials in other states, like New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, have praised such actions, immigrant advocates in Massachusetts argue that the crackdown is fueling fear and anxiety in local communities. The Department of Justice previously filed a lawsuit against Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and the city’s police over sanctuary policies, which Wu called an attack on cities to distract from federal failures. ICE’s current operation, dubbed “Patriot 2.0,” follows a May crackdown that detained nearly 1,500 immigrants in Massachusetts and has intensified in the run-up to local elections. Officials say the focus is on criminal immigrants, but advocacy groups report that asylum-seekers and legal residents are also being affected. Detainees are being transferred to facilities across New England, with flights from New Hampshire alone moving over 300 people since early August. Community organizations have mobilized hotlines and volunteers to track ICE activity and support affected families, highlighting widespread fear over everyday tasks like going to work, picking up children, or using public transportation.