In a massive enforcement action carried out throughout May, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alongside several federal agencies, arrested nearly 1,600 undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts and San Diego. The operation, named Operation Patriot, targeted individuals with known ties to violent gangs, transnational crime, and those holding serious criminal records in the United States or abroad.
The initiative was spearheaded by ICE’s Boston office and included partnerships with federal bodies such as the FBI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Diplomatic Security Service.
“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a safer place today thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners,” said Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston.
“Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested was breaking our immigration laws, but most of these individuals had significant criminality.”
Massachusetts Sees Over 1,400 Arrests, Majority with Criminal Backgrounds
Out of the nearly 1,600 apprehended, 1,461 were arrested in Massachusetts alone. ICE confirmed that more than 790 of those had prior criminal charges or convictions. While the agency has yet to release full details about the San Diego portion of the operation, it confirmed arrests there also targeted high-risk individuals.
Many of those detained faced charges related to serious crimes, including murder, rape, drug trafficking, and child sexual abuse. Authorities reported that numerous suspects were linked to violent gangs such as MS-13, Trinitarios, 18th Street, and the Venezuelan group Tren de Aragua.
“Among those arrested include truly alarming criminals: murderers wanted in their home countries, child predators, and drug traffickers,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations New England.
“Public safety and national security remain our number one priority.”
Foreign Fugitives and Gang Members Among Those Apprehended
Some of the high-profile arrests include a 55-year-old Salvadoran national wanted for aggravated homicide and kidnapping under an Interpol Red Notice. Additional arrests included a Guatemalan man convicted of murder, a Brazilian national wanted for child rape, and a Colombian citizen with a drug trafficking conviction in his home country.
FBI Boston’s Kimberly Milka emphasized the collaborative effort: “Together, with our partners, we have identified and removed hundreds of illegal alien offenders from the Commonwealth… and our work is not done.”
ICE also reported that 277 of the arrested individuals had already received removal orders from immigration judges but had continued to live in the U.S. unlawfully.
Ongoing Federal Focus on Public Safety and Immigration Enforcement
While full figures for San Diego have not been released, ICE indicated that Operation Patriot remains active, with more enforcement actions expected. Federal officials reiterated their commitment to prioritizing national security and community safety in light of increasing concern over immigration-related crime
