BURLINGTON, Mass. — Federal agents arrested 1,406 people across Massachusetts in a multi-week U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation dubbed “Operation Patriot 2.0,” authorities announced Thursday.
The arrests took place between September 4 and 30, targeting individuals ICE says were in the country illegally.
According to ICE, the operation focused on those with criminal backgrounds, including members of transnational gangs operating in Boston and other parts of the state. Among those arrested were alleged murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators, and members of violent transnational criminal gangs.
“Every illegal alien we arrested during the operation was breaking U.S. immigration law, and hundreds were violent criminals,” acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement.
ICE noted that the operations targeted “egregious criminal alien offenders” involved with criminal organizations known to operate in and around Boston and throughout Massachusetts, including the notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios, and 18th Street gangs.
Others had foreign arrest warrants and Interpol Red Notices, according to ICE.
0 of 4
About 600 people arrested had significant criminal convictions or pending charges. Additionally, 277 of those arrested had previously been ordered to leave the U.S. by the Department of Justice.
Lyons criticized local law enforcement agencies for releasing individuals instead of transferring them to ICE custody.
“Patriot 2.0 exposed the grave consequences of sanctuary policies and the urgent need for local leaders to prioritize their constituents’ safety over politics,” Lyons said. “Local law enforcement agencies released them instead of handing them over to us in a secure environment, and this puts neighborhoods, law enforcement officers, and illegal aliens at risk. Local politicians are responsible for protecting their constituents, so they need to step up and end irresponsible sanctuary policies.”
ICE ERO Boston acting Field Office Director David Wesling noted that Massachusetts “is a significantly safer place to live and work thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners.”
This marks the second phase of ICE’s enforcement efforts in Massachusetts, following a similar operation in May that resulted in approximately 1,500 arrests.
The crackdown has sparked protests across the state, including outside the ICE facility in Burlington, where demonstrators voiced opposition to the federal government’s immigration policies.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
