ICE’s Operation Patriot Targets Migrant Criminals in Boston Amid Sanctuary Pushback

In a bold move to tackle crime in the Boston area, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched Operation Patriot, a massive crackdown targeting criminal migrants. This week, I joined ICE agents as they arrested individuals with chilling rap sheets, including a Salvadoran convicted of child rape, previously deported in 2017, now caught living next to a children’s playground. Another target? A fugitive on El Salvador’s most wanted list, hunted by Interpol for aggravated murder, kidnapping, and robbery.

The operation, already nearing 1,500 arrests, is a direct response to Massachusetts’ sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation with federal immigration laws. ICE’s Boston chief, Patricia Hyde, didn’t mince words: “Due to open border policies, we’re finding heinous criminals, previously deported, back among us.” Her teams, bolstered by agents from across the country, are sweeping through the state, nabbing offenders like a Colombian facing child sexual assault charges and a Dominican convicted of fentanyl distribution.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Local activists are pushing back, some even physically interfering with arrests. In one case, a crowd blew agents’ cover while they staked out a murderer’s home. Hyde warned that sanctuary jurisdictions are escalating tensions, endangering law enforcement. Yet, she’s resolute: “We’re not going away. The American people voted for this, and we’ll keep going until the job’s done.”

Operation Patriot signals a new era of enforcement, prioritizing public safety over political posturing. As ICE ramps up, the question looms: will sanctuary policies bend, or will this tug-of-war intensify?