Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has chosen to remain silent and not address reports of migrant-related crimes in the city. Her silence is being inferred as a signal that there is no intention to reconsider the city’s current sanctuary jurisdiction status.
Various crimes committed by migrants have been reported. It has also been reported that federal authorities have not been very cooperative. Residents are concerned about the current situation. There is also frustration among local Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
ICE Officers Apprehended from Removing Dangerous Criminals
Last week, a report by Fox News’ Bill Melugin revealed that ICE officers in Boston have been diligently attempting to apprehend dangerous criminals.
However, their efforts have been stymied by local legislation.
Recent Incident Exemplifies the Challenges Being Faced by ICE Officers
A recent incident perfectly exemplifies the challenges being faced by ICE officers. A while back, an elite group of ICE officers based in Boston made five arrests.
Among the arrested individual were at least four individuals who had allegedly raped children and one who was a violent MS-13 gang member. The officers said that these potentially dangerous individuals were allowed to freely roman the streets due to the local sanctuary policies that rejected the agency’s requests for detainment.
Boston’s Sanctuary Policies Are Causing A Hindrance
Todd Lyons, the Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston Field Office, commended the efforts of local officers in removing potential threats to the community.
Lyons also acknowledged that Boston’s sanctuary policies are extremely “frustrating.” He said the policies are hindering the agency’s ability to do its job effectively.
Lyons Praises the Agency’s Work
Talking about the situation in Boston city and the five arrests, Lyons said to Fox News’ Bill Melugin, “That’s every day up here in Boston.”
Lyons added, “Those are the public safety threats we really want to get off the street. It was a great day, great day for the team. Five public safety threats that can’t victimize anyone anymore.”
Increase in Reports of Migrant-Committed Crimes
The agency’s frustration comes in the wake of a surge in reports of violent crimes committed by migrants in the state of Massachusetts. Citizens are becoming increasingly more worried and frustrated.
Last month, it was reported that a migrant from Haiti had allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl in a Rockland hotel.
ICE Officers Facing Challenges Initiating Deportation Proceedings
According to an NBC 10 report, Cory Alvarez, the alleged rapist, was reportedly alleged to be held without bail.
Despite the order, ICE officers continued to encounter several challenges while trying to initiate federal deportation proceedings.
Another Alleged Rapist Was Released Back Into The Community
In another case, a Haitian migrant was facing charges for allegedly raping a developmentally disabled person. The individual was eventually released back into the city.
ICE officers had requested to get the suspect transferred into their custody but instead the migrant was released into the community where his presence can threaten the safety of other individuals.
ICE’s Statement
Discussing the issue of the Haitian individual getting released back into the city, ICE released a statement saying, “Disturbingly and despite our filing an immigration detainer, this individual was released back into the community by the criminal court.”
Fox News Digital has contacted Wu’s office for comments on the migrant-related crime reports issue but haven’t heard back yet.
Maura Healey Under Fire
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is also facing criticism due to the surge in crimes being reported and the state’s migrant shelter program.
During a CBS Boston interview, Healey shared her thoughts on the Rockland incident, “It’s a horrible situation, a horrible allegation and my thoughts are with the victim.”
Healey Criticized Congressional Republicans
Even though Healey expressed her sympathy for the victim, she refrained from taking full responsibility for the terrible incident. She highlighted the fact that security measures are in place within the state but they are certainly not foolproof.
Healey criticized congressional Republicans for their lack of support towards President Biden’s bipartisan immigration bill.
Healey Discussed the Failed Bill
Commenting on the failed bill, Healey said, “Donald Trump said no deal, no deal before the election, and they all pulled back, the Republicans pulled back.”
Healey added, “That’s playing politics and we and other states continue to pay the price.”
The Center for Immigration Studies classifies Massachusetts As A Sanctuary Jurisdiction
Although Massachusetts lacks an official statewide sanctuary policy, it is categorized as a sanctuary jurisdiction by the Center for Immigration Studies.
This classification stems from a 2017 state supreme court ruling that stated Massachusetts law “provides no authority for Massachusetts court officers to arrest and hold an individual solely on the basis of a Federal civil immigration detainer, beyond the time that the individual would otherwise be entitled to be released from State custody.”
Wu Has Also Put the Blame on Federal Laws
Similar to Healey, Wu blames federal laws for the current issues. Back in February, Wu said the crisis affecting her city is the result “of a federal immigration system that’s been broken.”
According to an NBC 10 report, Wu said, “At the federal level, there have been over a decade of conversations about how to fix, but as those conversations are ongoing about how to ensure there are legal pathways to citizenship and then to have enforcement and security at the border around legal pathways, and then to have resources directed down to municipalities, it’s a lot before anything might be ever felt at the local level.”
The City Is Struggling to Deal With the Current Issues
During the conversation with Melugin, Lyons said, “I don’t have enough officers or resources to tackle all these public safety threats.”
Lyons added, “Are we gonna go after the child rapist today, or are we gonna go after the twice deported fentanyl dealer? Because we can’t do both.”
