As crime rises across the nation and illegal immigration surges, Boston released its annual report admitting that no ICE immigration detainer requests were honored in 2022. The sanctuary city doesn’t seem to have any remorse for its actions, instead boasting about following the Trust Act, which prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials.
Why Does ICE Use Retainer Requests?
When Immigration and Customs Enforcement issues a retainer request to law enforcement, it’s not just about capturing undocumented people in the country. According to the agency, it “lodges detainers on individuals who have been arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable non-citizens.” Police officers are asked to hold the individual for a short time until federal agents can take custody. “When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission,” states the agency’s website.
Still, Boston decided not to cooperate with immigration officers as is reflected in its annual report. “The report said ‘zero individuals’ were detained by Boston police officers or transferred to ICE last year under immigration detainers, and there were no cost reimbursements from ICE for related efforts,” Fox News explained.
The Trust Act was first enacted in 2015, but then reinforced in 2019 under fear that then-President Donald Trump and his administration’s tight illegal immigration policies would affect the city that boasts having 29% of its population foreign-born. Boston Police Department Commissioner Michael Cox wrote in a statement that the Trust Act strengthens relationships within the city and that the “immigrant community should feel safe in reporting crime and in proactively engaging with the Boston Police Department.”
(Photo by Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)
On the crime index provided by Neighborhood Scout, Boston ranks 16, with 100 being the safest. To put that into perspective, Detroit ranks one and Chicago was given a nine. It’s not as though Beantown doesn’t have any criminal activity within its migrant sect. In November, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested six illegal immigrants in Boston who were convicted of sex offenses, including possession of child pornography, voyeurism and risk of injury to a child, indecent assault and battery on a child, and unlawful sexual contact with a minor. In December, ERO arrested Eduardo Rocha-Dos Santos in Revere, just outside of Boston. Santos was a Brazilian fugitive wanted for murder.
The Democrat-led government has pushed hard for near open-door immigration over the last two years. As Liberty Nation recently reported, the Biden administration “has allowed the release of nearly 1,400 illegal migrants who are convicted criminals into American neighborhoods.” “Of the illegal alien convicts released from DHS custody, 463 bonded out, 421 were given an order of recognizance, 371 were given an order of supervision, and 108 were paroled,” Breitbart reported, adding that more than 35,000 aliens were released between October and December 18, 2022.
Even though Biden has finally visited the southern border, it is doubtful much will be done to strengthen security and prevent such an influx of illegals streaming into the US anytime soon. Until liberals and sanctuary cities realize that not working with federal officials regarding criminal aliens is only endangering their citizens, the situation will likely only continue to get worse.
