Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons expressed support for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s executive order aimed at enhancing transparency in immigration enforcement, while simultaneously criticizing the city’s Trust Act.
Lyons indicated that the federal agency is keen to demonstrate to the mayor how her policies could adversely affect Boston’s safety.
“We look forward to showing the great work of ICE and the criminal illegal aliens that the city is harboring,” Lyons stated in a recent communication.
The Boston Trust Act restricts local police and other city departments from cooperating with federal immigration authorities on civil detainer requests, a provision Lyons described as ineffective for public safety.
“Each year, the city highlights the cases that they do not work with ICE on,” he noted. “ICE will now show the citizens of Boston daily, weekly, monthly, etc., what ICE is doing to arrest and remove criminal aliens from the Commonwealth.”
In response to Mayor Wu’s executive order, Lyons stated that additional information will be forthcoming to clarify ICE’s actions concerning immigration enforcement.
“ICE welcomes the requests for transparency because this will only help ICE and DHS show how the mayor’s lack of cooperation hurts her neighborhoods,” he added.
Wu recently declared her intention to enhance transparency by regularly filing public records requests with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
She aims to gather information regarding the arrests, detentions, and deportations carried out by federal authorities, along with the reasoning behind these actions. “Our administration will seek records that disclose who is being arrested and why, as this crucial information has been lacking,” Wu said.
In a pointed statement, Mayor Wu advised ICE to reconsider its approach, saying, “A little friendly advice from the safest major city in the country. We know how to keep people safe.”
Wu emphasized the importance of collaboration and trust between law enforcement, city officials, and community members.
She asserted, “The American people are not stupid. No one is buying the line that these secret police tactics are making communities safer.”
Despite the ongoing criticism, Lyons maintained that ICE would continue its current method of immigration enforcement without changes.
He asserted that the city of Boston benefits from the diligent efforts of ICE personnel, stating, “What ICE knows as a fact is that the city of Boston is safer because of the amazing work of the brave men and women of ICE and its DOJ partners.”
Lyons highlighted the agency’s commitment to arresting criminal aliens who pose a threat to communities, mentioning that ICE Boston has detained thousands in Massachusetts.
He concluded by underscoring that the lack of cooperation due to the Trust Act has led to multiple criminal aliens being released back into the community, raising concerns about public safety.
image source from：https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/06/11/ice-director-says-feds-will-comply-with-michelle-wus-order-readily-share-info-on-illegal-aliens-boston-is-harboring/
