In a bold display of law enforcement’s reach, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has unveiled what it calls its most extensive immigration enforcement operation to date. Recent raids in Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area resulted in the apprehension of 1,461 individuals residing in the country illegally. Alarmingly, over half of those detained—790 in total—had prior criminal convictions or charges, while an additional 277 faced final deportation orders.
In a press release, ICE asserted, “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a safer place today thanks to the diligent efforts of ICE personnel and our federal partners. Through collaboration, we successfully apprehended nearly 1,500 illegal aliens, the majority of whom have serious criminal records either here or in their home countries,” stated Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston. “Every individual arrested was violating our immigration laws, but the majority were also serious offenders—murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, child predators, and members of violent criminal gangs. Some were convicted of violent crimes domestically, while others were fugitives from justice in their native lands. They believed they could evade justice by seeking refuge in Massachusetts.”
According to Fox News’ Bill Melugin:
BREAKING: Sources within ICE have confirmed to @FoxNews that the agency targeted Massachusetts and Boston in its largest operation to date, resulting in the arrest of 1,461 illegal aliens in MA and the Greater Boston area. Among those apprehended, 790 had criminal convictions or charges, while 277 were subject to final deportation orders. The operation concluded on Saturday.
Dubbed “Operation Patriot,” this initiative spanned the month of May and was launched specifically in response to the sanctuary policies in Massachusetts and Boston, as per ICE sources.
It has been reported that many of the individuals arrested had previously been released by sanctuary jurisdictions in Massachusetts, where ICE detainers had been disregarded.
A press conference is scheduled for later today in Boston to provide further details regarding the operation.
Fox News embedded with ICE on Thursday during this operation and observed the arrests of a range of offenders, including an international murderer, two child rapists (one of whom resided next to a playground), a fentanyl trafficker, an adult rapist, and a child sexual assaulter, all within just a few hours.
The operation also led to the arrest of individuals categorized as “collaterals,” who were not primary targets but were apprehended in the vicinity. ICE has repeatedly cautioned that sanctuary policies often result in collateral arrests, as it necessitates that agents search communities to apprehend criminal aliens instead of receiving them directly from local jails.
Before Operation Patriot, the largest operation ICE had conducted was known as Operation Tidal Wave in Florida, which resulted in 1,120 arrests. However, sources informed Fox that Operation Patriot presented far greater challenges, primarily due to the lack of cooperation from local authorities in Massachusetts. Furthermore, ICE reported encountering frequent interference from local anti-ICE activists throughout the operation.
BREAKING: Multiple ICE sources confirm to @FoxNews that ICE targeted Massachusetts & Boston in its biggest operation yet, netting the arrests of 1,461 illegal aliens in MA & the Greater Boston area. 790 had criminal convictions or charges, while 277 had final orders of…
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 2, 2025
Watch:
ICE conducts largest immigration enforcement operation yet.
‘Operation Patriot’ resulted in ICE and federal partners arresting 1,461 illegals in Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area.
790 had criminal convictions or charges. pic.twitter.com/8QTKTLZGvV
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 2, 2025
reported that during a recent ride-along, Melugin accompanied ICE agents in Boston. They revealed to Melugin that local anti-ICE (pro-criminal) activists had been obstructing their operations “virtually every single day.”
Melugin detailed a particularly troubling incident where agents were compelled to abandon an operation after being surrounded by a crowd of activists, which compromised their cover. This occurred while they were surveilling a residence believed to harbor an individual wanted for murder.
ICE Boston told us this happened in the sanctuary city of Somerville on Thursday. The murderer was close to a school. An activist later posted a video, boasting that they got ICE to leave the area, and that they were “trying to kidnap kids from school.”
They shielded a killer. https://t.co/KM835bRjvl
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 31, 2025
