Boston mayor blasted over ICE comments
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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is facing backlash following 'reckless and inflammatory' comments about federal immigration authorities, who have been detaining immigrants across Massachusetts in recent weeks. The mayor, often referred to as the 'Democratic dictator' for her progressive policies, ignited controversy after an on-air interview in which she described US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as 'secret police' who are 'terrorizing' people in Boston.
In her interview at the WBUR Festival on Friday, Wu, 40, said, 'People are terrified for their lives and for their neighbors. Folks are 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.' Her remarks prompted a swift response from US Attorney Leah Foley, who condemned the mayor for 'inciting hostility' against federal agents.
'During a recent interview, Boston's Mayor Michelle Wu made reckless and inflammatory statements regarding enforcement efforts by federal immigration authorities across the Commonwealth,' Foley (pictured) said in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. 'Referring to federal agents as 'secret police' is offensive,' she continued. Foley defended ICE, clarifying that the federal agency's role in immigration enforcement is well-known.
'There are no secret police. ICE agents, along with other federal law enforcement partners, are making immigration arrests. That is no secret,' Foley explained. 'They are arresting individuals who are here illegally, which is a violation of federal law. 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.' Even the city's top newspaper, The Boston Herald, blasted the mayor, describing her leadership in its editorial pages as 'the least transparent administration in modern Boston history,' citing her refusal to release police records.
'She won't release anything about her own police. We're still waiting for the police report on the fatal Hyde Park bus accident,' the Herald reported. Wu, however, fired back, claiming that the recent federal intervention is 'undermining trust with local police.' 'The US attorney is attacking me for saying what Bostonians see with their own eyes,' Wu said in response to Foley's vehement statement. 'We have seen it directly in our communities, and it is undermining our efforts at the local level to keep people safe because it is spreading fear that undermines trust with local police. We do things very differently in Boston, and we are proud of how we do things.'
Foley also addressed Wu's comment about ICE agents wearing masks, accusing the mayor of creating a dangerous environment for federal agents. 'Federal agents in marked jackets and vests are masking their faces because people like Mayor Wu have created false narratives about their mission,' Foley said. 'As a result, federal agents and their families are being threatened, doxxed, and assaulted. That is why they must hide their faces.'
An ICE spokesman further explained in a statement to WCVB that officers wear masks for safety reasons, noting that some officers and their families have been targeted online. 'We have already had officers doxxed online - some have had their wives' and children's social media accounts made public, and even the schools their children attend have been exposed,' the statement read. 'There are some sick and crazy people out there who would like to see harm come to our officers and their families. Our officers risk their safety every day to prioritize the safety of all Americans, regardless of race or religion.'
Wu, however, questioned the necessity of masks, asking, 'I don't know of any police department that routinely wears masks. We know there are other groups that routinely wear masks. NSC 131 routinely wears masks.' When asked whether she was comparing ICE to a neo-Nazi group, Wu denied the comparison, saying, 'What I said is that Boston police - and no police department that I know of at the local level - routinely wears masks.'
Wu is also facing criticism for her administration's lack of transparency regarding the Boston Police Department. Further concerns about Wu's administration stem from accusations that the Boston Police Department does not comply with public records laws. The department has been criticized for selectively releasing body camera footage and arbitrarily redacting police reports.
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