‘The American dream is over’: Allston workers detained in ICE raid speak out

BOSTON — For the first time, several of the workers taken into custody during an ICE raid at the Allston Car Wash are sharing their stories.

Four of the six employees released from custody so far spoke exclusively with Boston 25 News.

They were handcuffed while washing cars at the business on Cambridge Street back on November 4^th.

One told Boston 25 News he had work authorization card in his backpack and is waiting to become a green card holder.

He said he wasn’t allowed to show any of that documentation.

“I tried really hard to do everything the correct way so I wouldn’t have any problems in America,” he said through a translator.

Boston 25 News agreed to not publish the identity of the young man who was freed from custody on his 20^th birthday on Tuesday night.

He said he came to the United States from Honduras the day after he turned 16.

“I came from my home country to have a better life here,” he said.

He said he was brought to a nearby Target parking lot with eight of his coworkers where chains were placed around their ankles and waists.

Boston 25 News also spoke with a coworker who was detained on her 45^th birthday.

“From the moment they grabbed me, I thought, it’s over. The American dream is over. I won’t be able to work anymore. I won’t be able to help my family. I won’t be able to send money home,” said the mother of three from Guatemala through a translator.

She also asked that her identity not be published.

She told Boston 25 News she spent eight days in Burlington without adequate food before being transferred to Vermont.

She said she doesn’t feel free despite being out of custody.

“We came here to this country to work for our daily bread every day, to work hard, to work honestly,” she said. “We did not come here to hurt anybody.”

A 67-year-old man from Colombia was also released with those workers back on Tuesday night.

Three more workers were released on Thursday night.

That includes two sisters, ages 22 and 30, who spoke with Boston 25 News less than 24 hours after their release.

The older of the two teared up talking about her 7-year-old daughter who she says is a US citizen.

“I have to pick up my daughter every day from school. The day I was detained, I wasn’t able to go and pick up my daughter from school,” she said through a translator.

The 22-year-old said she’s still processing what happened.

She said she’s even more upset after meeting others in similar situations while in an ICE detention facility in Vermont.

“It’s an injustice. We were just working. We weren’t doing anything wrong,” she said.

Three of their coworkers remain in ICE custody.

Some community members have criticized the workplace ICE raid, and Boston University student Zac Segal, who said he called ICE about the car wash.

Segal, president of Boston University College Republicans, said he received death threats after he took credit for calling immigration officials for months.

BU protest condemns student who called ICE on Allston workers

The owner of the Allston Car Wash blasted his actions in a social media post:

“This week, a student at a local university publicly claimed credit for triggering last week’s enforcement action at our business. At no point did this individual contact us, speak with management, or inquire about our employees or operations. Publicly labeling our workforce as ‘criminals’ without any knowledge of who they are is reckless and distressing.”

An ICE spokesperson said Segal was not the reason for the raid at the business.

“The operation was highly targeted and relied on law enforcement intelligence, not a silly rumor,” said a statement.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously released the following explanation about the operation:

<i>“On November 4, ICE conducted a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Allston, Massachusetts that resulted in the arrest of 9 illegal aliens including an illegal alien who chose to commit a felony by illegally re-entering the U.S. Three entered under the Biden administration, four were gotaways at the border, one entered illegally under W. Bush, and another overstayed his visa which expired under President Clinton.”</i>
— Tricia McLaughlin

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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