BOSTON (AP) — Boston police are facing criticism for helping federal immigration officials arrest a construction worker living in the country illegally despite city policies protecting such immigrants.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts said Thursday it has filed a public records request seeking more information about the department’s “alarming” cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the incident.
Police Commissioner William Gross stressed officers “are not agents of ICE” and remain focused on violent crime and other public safety priorities. The city’s 2014 “Trust Act” prevents police from detaining a person solely on their immigration status.
The ACLU’s criticism comes after the U.S. Department of Labor filed a federal lawsuit last week alleging a construction company unlawfully retaliated against an injured worker in 2017 by referring him to Boston police, which then relayed the information to ICE.
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