Boston brace yourselves—ICE is gearing up for another sweep. Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, recently outlined plans for a second surge in targeting criminal illegal immigrants in Greater Boston, as told to the Boston Herald. After an initial January operation, Lyons emphasized that the job isn't finished, stating “the last operation showed ICE needs to be in the Commonwealth” and that "the numbers are staggering."
During the imminent ICE action, particular attention will be on fentanyl traffickers, with Lyons delineating these individuals as handling a "weapon of mass destruction" pervasive from Wellesley to Dorchester, as he said and thus sparking immense public safety concerns, this information according to an interview Lyons had with the Boston Herald. The ensuing crackdown comes amid rising anxiety within local communities, especially after events following the winter operation, like the detention of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts graduate student, as reported by NBC Boston.
Meanwhile, Lyons pointed to a past BRIC Heroin Overdose Report indicating a significant portion of those arrested for trafficking Class A drugs including opiates had been foreign-born, with a predominance of Dominican nationals engaging in heroin trafficking across Boston using stolen identities from Puerto Rico - details that Lyons shared in his interview with the Boston Herald.
Sanctuary cities have come under criticism from Lyons, who asserts they are "missing the point" of the broader safety issue, these cities ideally should be cooperating with federal agencies in a "good faith effort," Lyons insists, arguing that ICE should be forewarned when an illegal immigrant with a criminal background is released from jail or posted bail—so as to combat serious drug-related issues more effectively, operating with enough personnel in Massachusetts is a priority for him he said, and he further mentioned during his interview with the Boston Herald.
When queried about the status of Rumeysa Ozturk, Lyons mentioned the case would follow standard protocol—if the State Department revokes a student visa, ICE will enforce it, while assuring that individuals will address any local charges prior to deportation, a process meant to ensure justice for victims, as Lyons told the Boston Herald.
