Operation Patriot, the largest ICE sweep in history, shook Massachusetts to its core, rounding up 1,461 unauthorized migrants in a single month, as Fox News reports. The operation, which wrapped up on May 31, 2025, targeted criminals freely roaming the streets of Boston and beyond, exposing the chaos of sanctuary policies. It’s a wake-up call for a state that’s been hitting the snooze button on border security.
In the month of May, ICE, backed by the FBI, DEA, and ATF, arrested 1,461 unauthorized migrants across Massachusetts, including 790 with criminal convictions and 277 with final deportation orders, despite resistance from sanctuary jurisdictions. The operation dwarfed the previous record set by Florida’s Operation Tidal Wave, which nabbed 1,120. Massachusetts’ lack of cooperation made this sweep a logistical beast, but ICE got it done.
Throughout May, ICE teams from across the Northeast descended on Greater Boston and other Massachusetts cities. Sanctuary policies meant local authorities often released criminals despite ICE detainers, forcing federal agents to hunt them down. Anti-ICE activists added daily headaches, but the feds pushed through.
Last week, Fox News rode along with ICE Boston, witnessing arrests that read like a horror novel: a murderer, two child rapists, a fentanyl trafficker, an adult rapist, and a child sexual assault perpetrator\ -- all in a few hours. One child rapist lived next to a playground, a chilling reminder of sanctuary policies’ fallout. These weren’t “model citizens” but predators shielded by local defiance.
The operation’s scale exposed Massachusetts’s sanctuary jurisdictions as magnets for chaos. Hundreds of arrested migrants had been cut loose by local authorities, ignoring ICE’s pleas to hold them. Jon Fetherston, a former Massachusetts migrant shelter director, nailed it: “That’s not compassion -- it’s recklessness.”
Fetherston also warned that shielding criminals creates “a climate of lawlessness.” He’s right -- when convicted felons roam free, it’s not just ICE agents at risk; it’s every resident. Sanctuary policies aren’t noble; they’re a gamble with public safety.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey fumed over the arrest of Marcelo Gomes, an 18-year-old unauthorized migrant and Milford High School junior, on Sunday. “I am disturbed and outraged,” Healey declared, demanding “answers immediately.” Her selective outrage ignores the 790 criminals nabbed, focusing instead on one sympathetic case to dodge the bigger issue.
Healey’s claim that the operation makes communities “less safe” is a head-scratcher. Letting murderers and rapists walk free isn’t exactly a recipe for safety. Her rhetoric sounds like a progressive talking point, not a plan to protect Massachusetts residents.
On Monday, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons fired back at a press conference, slamming sanctuary policies. “If sanctuary cities would change their policies and turn these violent criminal aliens over to us, we wouldn’t have to go out to the communities,” Lyons said. He has a point -- cooperation would streamline justice and keep agents out of the crosshairs.
Also on June 2, Lorenzo Lopez Alcario, an unauthorized migrant, faced arraignment for allegedly raping a child with force, with the victim reportedly tied up. This horrific case underscores why ICE’s mission matters. Sanctuary policies didn’t stop this crime; they enabled the suspect’s freedom until his arrest.
Lyons vowed ICE would “keep coming back” to protect communities from “sex offenders and criminal aliens.” His resolve is a stark contrast to local leaders who seem more interested in optics than outcomes. Massachusetts residents deserve better than leaders who prioritize feelings over felons.
Fetherston’s warning about “a climate of lawlessness” rings louder with each arrest. Shielding criminals doesn’t just defy federal law; it erodes trust in the system. When local jails ignore detainers, they’re rolling the dice on who gets hurt next.
Operation Patriot’s success, despite Massachusetts’ obstruction, proves ICE’s determination to uphold the law. The operation’s 1,461 arrests dwarf Florida’s Tidal Wave, showing the scale of the problem in sanctuary states. Local resistance only makes the job harder, not impossible.
Healey’s outrage and activist interference highlight a deeper issue: a progressive agenda that puts politics over people. Protecting communities means prioritizing safety, not sanctuary status. Anything less is a betrayal of the public’s trust.
Operation Patriot isn’t just a record-breaker; it’s a warning shot. Massachusetts can either cooperate with ICE or brace for more sweeps. The choice is clear, but will local leaders listen, or will they keep playing roulette with public safety?
