On May 29, 2025, Fox News, with correspondent Bill Melugin, embedded with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Greater Boston, documenting the arrest of 1,500 migrants with criminal records. The operation, involving 19 ICE teams, targeted individuals with serious charges, including a previously deported Salvadoran on El Salvador’s most-wanted list with an Interpol Red Notice for aggravated murder, kidnapping, and robbery, and a Salvadoran convicted of child rape in 2017, found living near a children’s playground.
ICE’s acting Boston field office director, Patricia Hyde, stated that approximately 70% of those arrested had convictions or pending charges. The operation faced challenges due to Massachusetts’ sanctuary policies, which limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, prompting ICE to bring in teams from other regions. This aligns with the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller announcing a goal of 3,000 daily migrant arrests nationwide, up from a previous 1,000-per-day quota.