Tom Homan, the Trump administration border czar who has repeatedly criticized Massachusetts leaders, on Tuesday accused Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu of spreading false information about Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “That is a big part of the reason why there’s a 1,000% increase on assaults on ICE agents,” Homan said.Homan spoke outside the White House, shortly after Healey made a Tuesday morning TV appearance in which she accused the Trump administration of “making us less healthy, less safe.” The governor posted a clip from her latest MSNBC interview on social media.Homan accused Healey of telling “a bold-faced lie” about ICE conducting operations at churches during the interview. “Shame on Gov. Healey and Mayor Wu,” Homan said, pausing to recall the mayor’s name. “Shame on both of them. They should be calling the White House thanking Trump, thanking ICE for making the community safer. Instead, they go on TV and lie about ICE and make these accusations.”Video below: Homan criticizes Healey, WuWhen asked about the claim, Healey said the incident occurred Sunday during a Spanish-language mass at St. Ignatius at Boston College. “ICE agents were parked outside on the street,” Healey said. “Why are they parked outside of a church on a Sunday where people are going to worship and pray? It’s because they’re doing this to intimidate and to create fear.”Zara Valencius took the photo below of an ICE vehicle outside the St. Ignatius church on Saturday. Homan also listed four examples of recent arrests in Boston, including:A man from Guatemala with charges including aggravated rape and assault and batteryA man from Colombia with charges of aggravated assault on a pregnant victimA man from the Dominican Republic with drug trafficking chargesA man from Guatemala with charges of assault and battery on a child”This is what ICE is doing across the country. They’re targeting the worst of the worst and making this country safe again,” Homan said.Although Homan read names of the suspects aloud, details, including the spelling of their names, were not immediately provided. Video below: Homan describes recent arrestsFederal agents are currently conducting an enforcement surge in Greater Boston. The operation, Patriot 2.0, is billed as a sequel to a previous campaign that officials claimed led to 1,500 arrests.Video recorded overnight by witnesses along Chelsea Street in East Boston showed someone being handcuffed and detained by agents next to a boldly-marked ICE vehicle. The SUV’s decals include a badge on the roof. Wu said the city has received no official information from federal officials about the operation.During a previous MSNBC interview over the weekend, Healey labeled the operation “political theater” and said it was designed by the White House to spread intimidation and fear. Homan said Trump was fulfilling a campaign promise to improve public safety and sought to portray the agents involved as loyal public servants.”The men and women of ICE, they’re mothers and fathers too. They don’t hang their heart on a hook when they come to work every day. They put themselves in harm’s way to go look for the worst of the worst,” Homan said. This is not the first time Homan has exchanged tough words with Healey and Wu. During the mayor’s congressional testimony in March, she suggested Homan should be called to testify and defend his policies. Wu has repeatedly said Boston is the safest big city in America and does not want or need federal intervention. Last week, the Department of Justice announced it would sue the city of Boston over its immigration policies. The lawsuit claims the Boston Trust Act, which prevents local police from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, violates the Constitution.
NEEDHAM, Mass. —
Tom Homan, the Trump administration border czar who has repeatedly criticized Massachusetts leaders, on Tuesday accused Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu of spreading false information about Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“That is a big part of the reason why there’s a 1,000% increase on assaults on ICE agents,” Homan said.
Homan spoke outside the White House, shortly after Healey made a Tuesday morning TV appearance in which she accused the Trump administration of “making us less healthy, less safe.” The governor posted a clip from her latest MSNBC interview on social media.
Homan accused Healey of telling “a bold-faced lie” about ICE conducting operations at churches during the interview.
“Shame on Gov. Healey and Mayor Wu,” Homan said, pausing to recall the mayor’s name. “Shame on both of them. They should be calling the White House thanking Trump, thanking ICE for making the community safer. Instead, they go on TV and lie about ICE and make these accusations.”
Video below: Homan criticizes Healey, Wu
When asked about the claim, Healey said the incident occurred Sunday during a Spanish-language mass at St. Ignatius at Boston College.
“ICE agents were parked outside on the street,” Healey said. “Why are they parked outside of a church on a Sunday where people are going to worship and pray? It’s because they’re doing this to intimidate and to create fear.”
Zara Valencius took the photo below of an ICE vehicle outside the St. Ignatius church on Saturday.
Homan also listed four examples of recent arrests in Boston, including:
A man from Guatemala with charges including aggravated rape and assault and batteryA man from Colombia with charges of aggravated assault on a pregnant victimA man from the Dominican Republic with drug trafficking chargesA man from Guatemala with charges of assault and battery on a child
“This is what ICE is doing across the country. They’re targeting the worst of the worst and making this country safe again,” Homan said.
Although Homan read names of the suspects aloud, details, including the spelling of their names, were not immediately provided.
Video below: Homan describes recent arrests
Federal agents are currently conducting an enforcement surge in Greater Boston. The operation, Patriot 2.0, is billed as a sequel to a previous campaign that officials claimed led to 1,500 arrests.
Video recorded overnight by witnesses along Chelsea Street in East Boston showed someone being handcuffed and detained by agents next to a boldly-marked ICE vehicle. The SUV’s decals include a badge on the roof.
Wu said the city has received no official information from federal officials about the operation.
During a previous MSNBC interview over the weekend, Healey labeled the operation “political theater” and said it was designed by the White House to spread intimidation and fear. Homan said Trump was fulfilling a campaign promise to improve public safety and sought to portray the agents involved as loyal public servants.
“The men and women of ICE, they’re mothers and fathers too. They don’t hang their heart on a hook when they come to work every day. They put themselves in harm’s way to go look for the worst of the worst,” Homan said.
This is not the first time Homan has exchanged tough words with Healey and Wu. During the mayor’s congressional testimony in March, she suggested Homan should be called to testify and defend his policies.
Wu has repeatedly said Boston is the safest big city in America and does not want or need federal intervention.
Last week, the Department of Justice announced it would sue the city of Boston over its immigration policies. The lawsuit claims the Boston Trust Act, which prevents local police from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, violates the Constitution.