The city of Boston is pushing back against a heightened Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) crackdown, with local leaders describing the response as 'strategised resistance'. The operation, named 'Patriot 2.0', has seen masked agents conducting raids at traffic stops, supermarkets and courthouses, leading to widespread fear among immigrant communities.
Among those affected is 19-year-old Ana Lucia López Belloza, a Babson College student who was arrested at Logan Airport on 20 November and deported to Honduras within 48 hours. In an interview, she said her 'American Dream felt over'. An Ecuadorian couple, who suffered human trafficking in the US, have also been targeted, with the mother detained for two months in August and her husband arrested in December.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has vowed to 'flood' Boston, criticising the city's sanctuary policies. The agency claims to have arrested 1,400 individuals between 4 and 30 September, including alleged serious criminals. However, critics point to incidents like the raid on a car wash in Allston, where nine workers without criminal records were detained, some of whom had valid work permits.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has defended the city's stance, calling for transparency. Green card residents wrongfully arrested are reportedly taking legal action, while local organisations such as the Somali Development Center report cases like that of a 66-year-old Afghan refugee and US citizen detained despite having worked with the US military.
