The ice chief threatens to “flood” Boston with agents after the mayor does not abandon the sanctuary policy

The head of American immigration and the application of customs threatened to “flood” Boston with immigration agents following the refusal of the mayor Michelle Wu to drop the policies of the city’s sanctuary.

Todd Lyons, the interim director of the ICE, said in an interview on Wednesday on the show Howie Carr, a conservative radio program, which the agency would extend its presence in the region. His comments follow a press conference earlier this week when Wu said that Boston “would not go back” from his policy of limiting the police to cooperate with ice on the efforts to apply civil immigration.

Lyon said sanctuary policies like that of Boston were harmful to security.

“We will certainly, as you have heard, flood the area, in particular in the jurisdictions of the sanctuary,” said Lyons in the radio program. “Obviously, Boston and Massachusetts decided that they wanted to stay sanctuaries … So 100%, you will see more presence on ice.”

Asked about the interview with Lyons, the Wu office directed NBC News to the mayor’s comments to journalists on the subject during an event not linked to Thursday.

“It is a magnificent city, diversified and incredible, and I said it very directly: this administration must stop attacking cities to hide their own failures,” said Wu.

Boston has a robust immigrant population, with more than 28% of its residents born abroad in 2021. China, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Vietnam constitute the main countries of origin. In recent years, the crime has continued to drop regularly, homicides reaching a historic hollow by the end of 2024. Flights, severe assaults and engine vehicle flights and fraud offenses have also dropped through Massachusetts, according to data published by the State.

Tensions between WU and the Trump administration reached a chief last week, when the Ministry of Justice sent letters to 35 jurisdictions of the sanctuary requiring that they put an end to immigration protections. The DoJ ordered the courts to submit plans at the start of this week to show that they take measures to abandon policies, threatening to cut federal funding and pursue officials if the cities do not comply.

“You are informed by the present that your jurisdiction has been identified as that which engages sanctuary policies and practices which have thwarted the federal immigration application to the detriment of the interests of the United States,” said the letter, signed by the Attorney General Pam Bondi. “It ends now.”

Wu retaliated in a stormy letter to Bondi on Tuesday, calling the Attorney General demanded a “attack” against American cities and a tactic to “make the Americans fear from each other”.

“On behalf of the people of Boston, and in solidarity with cities and communities targeted by this federal administration for our refusal to bow to unconstitutional threats and illegal coercion, we affirm our support for each other and for our democracy”, wrote Wu. “Boston will never decide to be a lighthouse of freedom and a house for everyone.”

The mayor of Boston further criticized the Doj’s requests at a press conference in front of the town hall on the same day.

“You are wrong on the law and you are mistaken about security,” said WU. “Above all, you are mistaken about cities.”

Boston’s immigration protections date back to 2014, when the city promulgated the Boston Trust Act aimed at promoting confidence between immigrant communities and the application of local laws. The legislation, which was modified in 2019, allows the Boston police service to collaborate with ice on questions of “important public security” – including the trafficking in human beings, the exploitation of children, drug trafficking and weapons and cybercrimes – but prevents the BPD from the application of civil immigration. More recently, at the end of 2024, the municipal council adopted a resolution which reaffirmed the law.

“The provisions of the trust law have contributed to promoting a safe and welcoming environment for all residents, ensuring that immigrants can engage with local police without fear of expulsion,” said the resolution.