After over a dozen arrests in the New Bedford area, ICE appears to be focusing more on Fall River late Tuesday and Wednesday.
Witnesses are reporting several sightings and arrests.
ICE was reportedly seen on Plymouth Avenue, Martine Street, Route 6, near the bus terminal, near Viveiros School, and Kennedy Park. Some of which involved detentions.
Earlier this week, sightings were reported on Faunce Corner Road, Dartmouth, near Pub 99 / Route 195 MacArthur Drive, Winsor Street, Ashley Boulevard, Purchase Street, Hathaway Street, Acushnet Avenue, Nauset Street Dunkin’, and Market Basket in New Bedford.
The ICE crackdown has led to polarizing opinions among South Coast residents.
Immigrant rights organizations have argued that many of the recent detentions are people here legally or with no criminal records. People working and contributing to the area.
Proponents believe that the crackdown is long overdue and is in the best interests of the region.
Governor Maura Healey, who demanded answers on Tuesday concerning the New Bedford arrests, has been sharply critical of ICE, arguing the agency is “not acting like a law enforcement agency,” that its tactics make Massachusetts less safe, and that it is detaining many people with no criminal record. She has called ICE’s methods “cruel and callous,” said the agency “needs to be stopped,” supported defunding it, signed the PROTECT Act to keep warrantless civil ICE arrests out of schools, hospitals, courthouses and similar sites, launched an ICE misconduct reporting portal, and opposed giving ICE confidential plates or extra parking in Boston.
DHS and ICE have pushed back, saying Massachusetts officials are “putting politics above public safety,” that sanctuary-style limits force a more visible federal presence, and that every person arrested in operations Healey cited was in the country illegally, with many having serious criminal records in the U.S. or abroad. ICE Boston has also highlighted arrests of people wanted for violent crimes and said critics of ICE enforcement are undermining federal immigration law.
