Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has signed an executive order aimed at restricting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using city property for immigration enforcement purposes. The measure also instructs local police to investigate federal agents accused of breaking city or state laws.
The new directive comes after the Trump administration pulled 700 federal officers out of Minnesota following weeks of backlash over killings of American citizens and reports of racial profiling and excessive use of force. In Maine, an "enhanced operation" led to hundreds of arrests before ending last week.
Wu cited the cruel treatment of immigration enforcement officials in Minnesota and Maine as the basis for her executive order. She also invoked the spirit of the American Revolution, stating that Boston would not allow its democracy to be threatened by those who have abandoned its founding principles.
The executive order orders city officials to publicly release footage from surveillance cameras and body-worn cameras capturing any violence or property damage committed by federal agents. Local police will document incidents involving federal agents and conduct independent investigations free of federal interference.
Boston's police department has been instructed to investigate all allegations of criminal conduct, regardless of whether the alleged perpetrators are federal agents. The city has also issued guidance to residents on how to respond if federal agents attempt to enter private homes or businesses without a warrant.
The move comes as other municipal leaders have signed similar orders and criticized the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey filed legislation last week aimed at rein in ICE operations, with some lawmakers expressing outrage over the agency's actions.
Some local officials have expressed personal connections to the issue, with Somerville Mayor Jake Wilson stating that reports from his home state of Minnesota had a visceral effect on him. Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden also spoke out against the use of federal agents to undermine public safety, saying the detentions in court were causing harm and disrupting justice.
The new directive marks a significant escalation in Boston's efforts to counter ICE operations, following an executive order signed by Governor Maura Healey last week that banned the Trump administration from using state property for immigration enforcement.
The new directive comes after the Trump administration pulled 700 federal officers out of Minnesota following weeks of backlash over killings of American citizens and reports of racial profiling and excessive use of force. In Maine, an "enhanced operation" led to hundreds of arrests before ending last week.
Wu cited the cruel treatment of immigration enforcement officials in Minnesota and Maine as the basis for her executive order. She also invoked the spirit of the American Revolution, stating that Boston would not allow its democracy to be threatened by those who have abandoned its founding principles.
The executive order orders city officials to publicly release footage from surveillance cameras and body-worn cameras capturing any violence or property damage committed by federal agents. Local police will document incidents involving federal agents and conduct independent investigations free of federal interference.
Boston's police department has been instructed to investigate all allegations of criminal conduct, regardless of whether the alleged perpetrators are federal agents. The city has also issued guidance to residents on how to respond if federal agents attempt to enter private homes or businesses without a warrant.
The move comes as other municipal leaders have signed similar orders and criticized the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey filed legislation last week aimed at rein in ICE operations, with some lawmakers expressing outrage over the agency's actions.
Some local officials have expressed personal connections to the issue, with Somerville Mayor Jake Wilson stating that reports from his home state of Minnesota had a visceral effect on him. Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden also spoke out against the use of federal agents to undermine public safety, saying the detentions in court were causing harm and disrupting justice.
The new directive marks a significant escalation in Boston's efforts to counter ICE operations, following an executive order signed by Governor Maura Healey last week that banned the Trump administration from using state property for immigration enforcement.