(NewsNation) — The Trump administration is continuing to crack down on illegal immigration by ramping up ICE arrests across the country.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says a recent monthlong operation called “Operation Patriot” led to the arrests of 1,500 migrants in Massachusetts. ICE officials in Boston said they captured criminals who victimized innocent people, including drug traffickers and murderers.
ICE says the operation is its largest one yet. Officials within the Trump administration have said they are not satisfied with current deportation numbers and so they are stepping up with ICE carrying out arrests everywhere, including work sites.
One arrest that has grabbed national attention is the arrest of 18-year-old high school student Marcelo Gomes in Milford, Massachusetts, who was on his way to volleyball practice when ICE arrested him. Gomes has been living in the country since 2012 but was not the original target. ICE said arrests like Gomes’ are sometimes the only option they have because local authorities refuse to cooperate.
“Sanctuary policies put us in a position to go out into these communities and look for people,” acting ICE Boston Office Director Patricia Hyde said. “When jurisdictions don’t cooperate with us, and we don’t arrest people, we go out into the communities, and when we find others who are unlawfully here, we are going to arrest them.”
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey took to social platform X where she said she was “disturbed and outraged” by the arrest of Gomes and that she is demanding answers from ICE on his arrest. She said that she and local officials were left in the dark about the operation.
The DHS responded to Healey, stating that the initial target of the arrest was Gomes’ father, Joao Paulo Gomes-Pereira. The agency stated that he’s considered a public safety threat and has been accused of reckless driving in residential neighborhoods.
The superintendent and other school officials at Marcelo Gomes’ school stated that the arrest occurred off campus and that they did not participate in the operation.