Mayor Wu defends calling ICE ‘secret police' after US ttorney says it a ‘false narrative'
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu defended her characterization of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as 'secret police' on Wednesday following scathing criticism by Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley, who called Wu's comment a 'false narrative.'
Federal immigration officers have not been 'sharing exactly who was arrested and why,' Wu told reporters when asked about Foley's criticism outside an unrelated event at Boston City Hall. 'The U.S. attorney is attacking me for saying what Bostonians see with their own eyes.'
Read more: 'False narratives': Mass. US attorney blasts Boston Mayor Wu over remarks on ICE
The exchange of criticism stems from comments Wu made about ICE during the WBUR Festival this past weekend.
'Every aspect of what's happening at the federal level is causing harm in our local communities,' the mayor said during an interview. 'People are terrified for their lives and for their neighbors, folks getting snatched off the street by secret police who are wearing masks, who can offer no justification for why certain people are being taken and then detained.'
In a video shared on social media Wednesday morning, Foley called the 'secret police' comment offensive. She also pushed back against the idea that people are being 'snatched off the street' and said Wu's statements were 'reckless and inflammatory.'
'There are no secret police. ICE agents, along with other federal law enforcement partners, are making immigration arrests. That is no secret. They are arresting individuals who are here illegally, which is a violation of federal law,' the U.S. Attorney said. 'Every enforcement action is conducted within the bounds of the Constitution and our laws with oversight, legal justification and accountability. To claim otherwise is a gross misrepresentation and a disservice to the public.'
Read more: ICE detained nearly 1,500 people in Mass. in one month
During her response to Foley on Wednesday, Wu doubled down, justifying her characterization of ICE agents based on their mask-wearing, The Boston Globe reported.
Boston police enforce the law 'without wearing masks, displaying their badges publicly, with body cameras that document the interactions that take place with full transparency, because we have nothing to hide,' she said. 'I don't know of any police department that routinely wears masks.'
Wu went on to state that 'other groups routinely wear masks,' such as New England-based neo-Nazi group NSC131, the Globe reported.
Read more: 'I need to hug my son': Milford student's family sends ICE video pleading for release
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons — who was the head of ICE's Boston field office until his promotion earlier this year — said Monday that federal immigration agents wear masks because people have been taking pictures of them and posting them online along with death threats.
'I'm sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I'm not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line and family on the line,' he said.
Lyons addressed the issue during a press conference in which he announced that ICE had detained nearly 1,500 people across Massachusetts during the month of May.
Read more: 'I did the humane thing': Worcester city councilor stands by actions at ICE arrest
ICE arrests have led to outrage in many Massachusetts communities over the past month.
On May 12, the arrest of a Brazilian mother on the streets of Worcester led to a heated confrontation between protesters and law enforcement and charges against three women — including a city councilor.
Last week, the arrests of around 40 people on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket left the islands 'full of fear,' the Vineyard Gazette reported.
Finally, the Milford community has been rocked by the arrest and detainment of an 18-year-old high school student over the weekend.
'Cooperating witness' in Harvard Law Review racism probe now works at the White House
Massachusetts House votes to overhaul Cannabis Control Commission
'I did the humane thing': Worcester city councilor stands by actions at ICE arrest
Mass. Sen. Warren has a few questions — OK, 66 of them — for Trump's Ed. Department boss
Markey, advocates call out ban on states' AI oversight in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Read the original article on MassLive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Legislative recap for Thursday, June 5
The dome of the Maine State House in Augusta. Sept. 5, 2023. (Photo by Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star) With a citizen-led campaign to impose voter ID requirements heading to the ballots, lawmakers discussed the issue at length Thursday before rejecting a legislative proposal mirroring the ballot initiative. Several Republican members of the Maine House of Representatives said if returning clothes and buying cigarettes requires photo identification, so should voting. They alleged rampant voter fraud by noncitizens, which Maine's Secretary of State has said is not the case. Democrats pushed back, saying Maine already has a robust system to prevent fraud, and that requiring voter ID would disadvantage students, seniors and people with disabilities. With a 72-69 vote, the bill, LD 38, was rejected. 'There is a fundamental difference between having to show an ID to buy alcohol or tobacco products or returning an unwanted item to a store,' said Rep. Kelly Noonan Murphy (D-Scarborough).'None of those things are sacred rights granted to us in the Constitution. And therefore, imposing barriers on that right … is un-American.' With papers shuffling between chambers this week, Maine Morning Star has compiled a slightly more pared down roundup again for Thursday, focusing on the biggest items of debates as well as legislation and issues that we've followed all session. Here's an overview of what happened Thursday. Both chambers have now passed an amended version of LD 1726, which seeks to improve planning for the future of the energy grid. The House supported it with a 75-69 vote, and the Senate followed suit passing the bill 19-13 Thursday afternoon. After LD 1928 squeaked through the House with a 72-70 vote, the Senate passed it 17-15. This bill would ban single-use plastic containers — such as mini shampoo bottles — at lodging establishments starting in 2030. Although Rep. Michael Soboleski (R-Phillips) said the well-intentioned legislation overlooks sanitation concerns and poses challenges for businesses, others praised it for its potential to chip away at plastic use in the state. 'A conservative estimate is that this bill could eliminate as many as 73 million single-use plastic bottles per year from Maine's waste stream as we struggle to recycle our way out of the catastrophe of microplastics, that is meaningful action,' said Rep. Vicki Doudera (D-Camden). Although the proposed net energy billing reform that could save ratepayers more than $65 million has yet to hit the floors, the Senate and House passed an amended version of LD 839, which would create a fund to offset transmission and distribution costs associated with the policy that would otherwise be passed onto ratepayers. Additionally, lawmakers backed a bill requiring internet providers to treat all broadband internet traffic equally, a concept commonly referred to as 'net neutrality.' LD 536 passed the House 79-66, while the Senate gave its approval Thursday. With a 74-67 House vote, both chambers supported LD 246, which asks courts to consider a sentence other than imprisonment for primary caregivers. Rep. Adam Lee (D-Auburn) said the bill is needed because 'the research is clear, children with incarcerated parents are more likely to face mental health challenges, exhibit behavioral problems, experience social isolation and suffer from economic hardship. These children are also more likely to perform poorly in school and have higher absentee rates.' With a 73-69 vote, the House also passed LD 1859, a bill that would offer regional hubs for childcare, which can serve as access points in communities, tailored to the needs of those families. The Senate approved it Wednesday. Both chambers have now rejected LD 1476, which sought to impose a new lodging fee to help fund homeless shelters in the state. A heavily amended version of LD 1787 passed in the Senate after the House gave approval Wednesday. The bill initially sought to allow candidates for district attorney, sheriff and county commissioner to participate in the Maine Clean Election Act, but the version now being considered was amended to increase the contribution limits for gubernatorial seed money donations. (Read more about other proposals related to changing Maine's clean elections here.) Legislation (LD 1900) to grant authority to certain Wabanaki Nations to develop tribal power districts and recognize the authority for child support enforcement passed the House 75-67 on Wednesday and Senate 20-12. There was also bipartisan support for LD 1886, which would extend the current penalties applied when a motor vehicle violation results in death to violations that result in serious bodily harm. Lawmakers killed a proposal (LD 1461) to prohibit school boards from adopting a mask mandate unless directed by a health agency. So far, the Legislature has only supported modest refinements to the state's paid family and medical leave. That approach continued Thursday, when two more bills looking to amend the program were rejected. LD 1169, which would allow employers to get a refund for any premiums paid into the state's plan if they are approved to use a private substitute plan, was voted down 73-68 by the House and 18-14 by the Senate. Both chambers also rejected LD 1400, which looked to exempt certain public school employees from the program. And the Senate cast a final enactment vote for LD 588, which would give agricultural employees the right to engage in certain concerted activity, which includes talking about wages, working conditions and other employment matters with other employees or the employer. (Read more about that here.) After the Senate narrowly voted it down, the House passed LD 1535, which would require the Public Utilities Commission to gather a group of municipal, police and fire officials to discuss the high electricity usage related to illegal cannabis grows in the state. During discussions Wednesday, Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec) said the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee is carrying over legislation into the next session that could provide a more comprehensive approach, including this sort of study. The Senate insisted on its original vote Thursday night. Leaving it in limbo, the House did not again take up LD 810, the bill seeking to modify the law born out of a 2021 referendum question requiring the Maine Legislature to approve any new high-impact transmission lines. It fell shy of passage in the House with lawmakers voting 72-75 before ultimately killing the bill under the hammer. However, the Senate passed the bill 18-16 Wednesday. During an evening session, the Senate rejected LD 1036, which would prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to tenants solely because they rely on programs such as General Assistance or housing vouchers. Since the House passed the proposal 72-70 on Wednesday, the lower chamber will need to take it up again. Sen. Chip Curry (D-Waldo) said this is an important issue, but asked the Senate to reject the measure simply because the Judiciary Committee is carrying a similar bill into the next session to allow more time to work on it. Although the House rejected LD 1236 earlier in the day on Thursday, the Senate voted 22-10 in favor of its passage after a failed 16-16 vote to reject the bill and impassioned floor speeches about the importance of addressing the presence of fentanyl in the state. The amended version of the bill seeks to create a Class A crime for aggravated trafficking of fentanyl when it results in an overdose. While no one refuted that fentanyl poses a crisis, Curry said the state can't incarcerate its way out of it. Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart said he supports a multipronged approach to solving the substance use crisis including access to treatment and other supports, but argued that this bill could bolster that. The Senate advanced two bills that aim to support mobile home park residents in purchasing their parks. (Read more about that here.) Maine is one step closer to joining its New England peers who all have so-called food waste bans on the books now that the Senate has approved a slightly amended version of LD 1065. The bill would prohibit significant generators of food waste, which could include schools, hospitals, food producers and others, from disposing of food waste if they are close to a facility that could compost or otherwise dispose of the waste. The House passed a bill (LD 1078) expanding access to needle exchange programs in a 74-65 vote. The bill would allow certified programs to operate additional locations within the same county. (Read more about our syringe service program coverage here). SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The News Forum Announces Launch of Western Canada Bureau, Taps Veteran Journalist Hal Roberts as Lead Anchor
ST. CATHARINES, Ontario, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The News Forum is proud to announce the official launch of its new Western Canada Bureau, marking a significant expansion of its national news coverage. This strategic move is further strengthened by the appointment of seasoned broadcast journalist Hal Roberts as the lead anchor for the new Calgary-based operations. With three decades of experience in the broadcast industry, Hal Roberts brings a wealth of knowledge and a distinguished career to The News Forum. His extensive background includes covering provincial and federal politics as a parliamentary reporter in Ottawa, leading national business programs, and anchoring newscasts across Canada. 'We are absolutely thrilled to be expanding The News Forum's footprint with new studios in Western Canada,' said Tore Stautland, CEO of The News Forum. 'Bringing on an anchor of Hal Roberts' caliber is a testament to our commitment to delivering high-quality, comprehensive news to all Canadians. His deep understanding of the region and his impressive journalistic integrity will be invaluable as we build out our Western coverage.' Roberts' career highlights include his impactful reporting on the 2014 Ottawa terrorist attack, his role as a national correspondent for business programs on BNN, Global TV, and CHCH-TV, and his significant contributions as an anchor and producer in major Canadian markets. He is also an award-winning journalist, having received a Crystal Communicator award for his work on a national news/current affairs program and an award for a TV show on human trafficking. 'I am incredibly excited to join The News Forum and lead the charge in establishing our Western Canada Bureau,' said Hal Roberts. 'This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a growing news organization dedicated to insightful and balanced reporting, in times where regional perspectives are of increased importance. I look forward to connecting with viewers across the West and bringing their stories to a national audience.' This expansion into Western Canada is a key step in The News Forum's broader growth strategy. 'Our vision extends beyond the West; we are also actively working towards establishing a strong presence in Montreal,' added Stautland. 'This national expansion underscores our dedication to providing diverse perspectives and robust news coverage from coast to coast to coast.' The News Forum's Western Canada Bureau, under Hal Roberts' leadership, will significantly enhance the network's ability to cover regional stories with depth and accuracy, further solidifying its position as a vital source of Canadian news and current affairs. About The News Forum: The News Forum is a Canadian news and current affairs television network dedicated to providing in-depth analysis and diverse perspectives on important issues facing Canadians. With a commitment to journalistic integrity, The News Forum aims to foster informed discussion and understanding. The News Forum is a national Canadian news broadcaster available through most television distributors – see local listings. TNF is a subscriber to the Canadian Press/AP along with other significant sources of breaking news from across Canada and around the world. Media ContactDanielle KlammerCMO, The News Additional Information: Website: Daily News Website: Twitter:
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
This Glitchy, Error-Prone Tool Could Get You Deported—Even If You're a U.S. Citizen
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, despite his U.S. citizenship and Social Security card, was arrested on April 16 on an unfounded suspicion of him being an 'unauthorized alien.' Immigration and Customs Enforcement kept him in county jail for 30 hours 'based on biometric confirmation of his identity'—an obvious mistake of facial recognition technology. Another U.S. citizen, Jensy Machado, was held at gunpoint and handcuffed by ICE agents. He was another victim of mistaken identity after someone else gave his home address on a deportation order. This is the reality of immigration policing in 2025: Arrest first, verify later. That risk only grows as ICE shreds due process safeguards, citizens and noncitizens alike face growing threats from mistaken identity, and immigration policing agencies increasingly embrace error-prone technology, especially facial recognition. Last month, it was revealed that Customs and Border Protection requested pitches from tech firms to expand their use of an especially error-prone facial recognition technology—the same kind of technology used wrongly to arrest and jail Lopez-Gomez. ICE already has nearly $9 million in contracts with Clearview AI, a facial recognition company with white nationalist ties that was at one point the private facial recognition system most used by federal agencies. When reckless policing is combined with powerful and inaccurate dragnet tools, the result will inevitably be more stories like Lopez-Gomez's and Machado's. Studies have shown that facial recognition technology is disproportionately likely to misidentify people of color, especially Black women. And with the recent rapid increase of ICE activity, facial recognition risks more and more people arbitrarily being caught in ICE's dragnet without rights to due process to prove their legal standing. Even for American citizens who have 'nothing to hide,' simply looking like the wrong person can get you jailed or even deported. While facial recognition's mistakes are dangerous, its potential for abuse when working as intended is even scarier. For example, facial recognition lets Donald Trump use ICE as a more powerful weapon for retribution. The president himself admits he's using immigration enforcement to target people for their political opinions and that he seeks to deport people regardless of citizenship. In the context of a presidential administration that is uncommonly willing to ignore legal procedures and judicial orders, a perfectly accurate facial recognition system could be the most dangerous possibility of all: Federal agents could use facial recognition on photos and footage of protests to identify each of the president's perceived enemies, and they could be arrested and even deported without due process rights. And the more facial recognition technology expands across our daily lives, the more dangerous it becomes. By working with local law enforcement and private companies, including by sharing facial recognition technology, ICE is growing their ability to round people up—beyond what they already can do. This deputization of surveillance infrastructure comes in many forms: Local police departments integrate facial recognition into their body cameras, landlords use facial recognition instead of a key to admit or deny tenants, and stadiums use facial recognition for security. Even New York public schools used facial recognition on their security camera footage until a recent moratorium. Across the country, other states and municipalities have imposed regulations on facial recognition in general, including Boston, San Francisco, Portland, and Vermont. Bans on the technology in schools specifically have been passed in Florida and await the governor's signature in Colorado. Any facial recognition, no matter its intended use, is at inherent risk of being handed over to ICE for indiscriminate or politically retaliatory deportations. At state and local levels, however, there is a way to fight back. For example, there is a package of 'Ban the Scan' bills in the New York State Legislature and New York City Council to curb the use of facial recognition: by police (S5609/A1045), by landlords (A6363 and Intro. 425), by public accommodations (A6211 and Intro. 217), and to make permanent the ban on its use in schools (S3827/A6720). And while New York, the most surveilled city in the country, has the opportunity to lead the way, legislative protections against the risks of facial recognition must proliferate nationwide to fully protect our communities. The only way to completely prevent Trump—or any future authoritarian—from allowing this tech to do his and ICE's bidding is to prevent the use of facial recognition in the first place. Because of the immense power of facial recognition to target political enemies and indiscriminately deport any of us, and because the system's racially biased inaccuracy is already causing wrongful arrests, banning facial recognition is an essential step toward preventing authoritarian overreach. The New York State Legislature can and should pass the Ban the Scan package of facial recognition bills, and the rest of the country should follow suit in protecting communities from this force multiplier for tyranny.
