Tempers flared this week as Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley sharply criticized Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's recent comments about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. According to WCVB, Foley found Wu's statements "reckless and inflammatory," specifically addressing the mayor's claim that residents are "terrified" amid ongoing ICE arrests.
During a talk at the WBUR Festival, witnessed last Friday, Wu spoke out, saying, “People are terrified for their lives and for their neighbors,” describing incidents of individuals being taken by "secret police who are wearing masks, who can offer no justification for why certain people are being taken and then detained." Emphasizing her defense of federal agents, in a video posted Wednesday, Foley retorted that these officials, wearing masks and vests marked, are securing their identities from the public due to threats escalated by narratives Wu has allegedly perpetuated. Boston.com reported her asserting the necessity of this anonymity to protect agents and their families from harm.
Foley, appointed a day after President Donald Trump's return to office and known for backing the administration's policies, contends each ICE arrest to be justified by federal law. While Mayor Wu's use of the term "snatch" in connection to the arrests drew particular ire from Foley, a spokesperson for the mayor did not return a request for comment on the matter Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Boston has been under a stringent spotlight as ICE conducted a month-long operation, described by officials as one of the largest in the agency's history, resulting in almost 1,500 arrests. At a press conference earlier this week, Foley joined officials in touting the operation's success while residents documented encounters that raised alarms, including an incident involving Marcelo Gomes da Silva, an 18-year-old Milford student detained while agents sought his father. With independent verification impossible since identities of those arrested were unreleased, ICE claims less than 60% had criminal charges, alleged by Boston.com.
