Federal immigration agents detained two people Thursday near Newton District Court and Newton City Hall, according to Mayor Marc C. Laredo's office, prompting a 911 call from a bystander and a police response outside the municipal building. One person was detained outside the courthouse, while ICE agents followed an acquaintance of that individual as he drove away and stopped him directly in front of City Hall, where he was later released.
The detentions were reported by WCVB, which cited Laredo's office in describing how ICE agents detained one individual outside Newton District Court before trailing the acquaintance's vehicle and stopping it in front of City Hall. Newton police maintained order at the scene, according to the same account. Officers responded after receiving a 911 call from a bystander who reported the incident outside City Hall, and the second person was released after being detained.
Laredo, in a statement relayed through his office, said Newton values immigrants, along with the people who work and raise families in the city, its business owners, and its visitors. City officials asked residents seeking help or more information to contact Newton City Hall or visit the city's immigration resources webpage, which the city says provides information on legal protections and enforcement policies.
A City Portal Built for Moments Like This
That web page was not a last-minute addition. The City of Newton launched a dedicated online portal for immigrant rights and resources in August, according to the Newton Beacon, which reported on the page and on City Council discussions. Thursday's detentions arrived just weeks after that resource went live, giving residents a place to turn as the incident unfolded.
A superintendent memo addressed district families, though the available materials do not connect it to the detentions. The School Committee held a virtual meeting on Aug. 27, but the available materials do not establish that it concerned the incident or immigration enforcement.
Why ICE Could Still Operate Near the Courthouse
The timing matters because Massachusetts is in the middle of a legal transition. Governor Maura Healey signed Chapter 163 of the Acts of 2026, known as the PROTECT Act, into law on Aug. 5, establishing statewide limits on federal civil immigration enforcement at sensitive locations including courthouses, schools, and healthcare facilities, according to the Commonwealth's official announcement posted on Mass.gov. The bill was authored by the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and passed with broad legislative backing.
But the statute's specific restrictions and effective dates are not detailed in the available materials. The available materials also do not describe a transition period or its purpose.
Newton's Own Rules on ICE and City Property
Newton has its own layer of protections that predate the state law. Mayor Laredo signed an executive order in February barring federal immigration enforcement officers from using city-owned properties, including parking lots and buildings, as staging areas or processing bases, and prohibiting access to non-public municipal spaces without a warrant or court order, according to The Heights, Boston College's student newspaper. Laredo signed that order.
The order reinforces Newton's 2017 Welcoming City ordinance, which limits local police assistance in immigration enforcement. The ordinance passed the Newton City Council in 2017. Newton Police Chief Timothy Cohoon confirmed during a municipal public safety committee meeting in March that local officers do not ask about immigration status during routine police interactions, a policy meant to preserve community trust — which is consistent with officers staying on scene Thursday to maintain order rather than assist in the federal detentions.
A Courthouse With a Fraught History
Newton District Court has been a flashpoint over federal immigration enforcement before. In 2018, District Court Judge Shelley Joseph was accused of helping a defendant evade an ICE officer outside a rear exit of the courthouse, a case that led to federal charges against her that were later dismissed in 2022 in favor of state judicial disciplinary proceedings, as Hoodline reported in its earlier coverage of the Massachusetts high court's review of possible sanctions against Joseph this past May.
Courthouse arrests have also drawn broader scrutiny statewide, according to Lawyers for Civil Rights. The organization notes that courthouse detentions have drawn intense criticism from public defenders and judicial officials. The available materials do not document a 2019 federal injunction or a subsequent First Circuit ruling.
Several details from Thursday's detentions remain unclear, including whether the individual detained outside the courthouse had an outstanding criminal warrant, which would fall outside civil sanctuary protections, and the circumstances of the acquaintance's release. It also remains to be seen how Newton officials intend to enforce the city's ban on using municipal property for ICE staging when federal stops occur on public roadways directly abutting buildings like City Hall.
