Immigration rally turns contentious outside Boston City Hall

By Ella Adams, Sam Drysdale

Hundreds of people gathered outside Boston City Hall Wednesday, mostly to oppose Trump administration immigration policies, and to support Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston’s status as a sanctuary city.

Pro-immigrant demonstrators at the rally — hosted by members of the Boston City Council, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, and ACLU Massachusetts — outnumbered opposition by the hundreds, but the rally became contentious as opponents of the mayor who support President Donald Trump’s federal crackdown on illegal immigration chanted as rally speakers were attempting to convey their messages.

Boston Police intervened during at least two scuffles among protesters.

The rally unfolded as Wu was testifying in D.C. with the mayors of Chicago, Denver and New York City who have policies similar to Boston’s TRUST Act. The ordinance bars local law enforcement from aiding federal law enforcement officials with federal immigration orders.

“Let’s be clear, when ICE uses fear tactics, harassment and intimidation against our neighbors, they are attacking the very fabric of our community. And so we are here to tell ICE, if you come for one of us, you come for all of us,” said City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, who represents neighborhoods with large immigrant populations, including East Boston and the North End.

Among the groups represented at the rally were the Chinese Progressive Association, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, the Dominican Development Center and Latinos Unidos en Massachusetts.

“This city was built by immigrants and this city continues to be built by immigrants every single day. I don’t know what immigrants ICE is talking about, or the Trump administration, but the immigrants that I know, that we know, they’re our teachers, our bus drivers, our business owners, our parents, our neighbors, our city,” said City Councilor Enrique Pepén, who represents Mattapan, Hyde Park and Roslindale.

One state lawmaker made an appearance at the podium: South End Rep. John Moran, who briefly spoke about the Irish immigrants that have long built community in Boston and who make up much of his electorate.

“They didn’t grow on trees — they came from some other country because that is what America is, we’re all immigrants,” Moran said to the crowd.  

“We’re all Americans. Let’s stand together and get rid of this hatred,” he said, gesturing to the crowd of opposition ralliers. “This is embarrassing. This is Boston. This is the United States of America.”

About two dozen counter-protesters chanted “Shame on Wu” and “Legal not illegal” as advocates and politicians spoke in City Hall plaza.

“I’m just tired of all the corruption,” said Eddie Gilin of Acton, who carried a sign that said “ICE Agents need help” on the counter-protester side of the BPD line.

Gilin continued, “Schools, veterans, the homeless, the disabled — no one gets enough money now, but all of the money is going to these illegal immigrants. It’s not a personal thing against them. It’s just not fair.”

In executive orders and policy actions early in his second term, Trump has focused on changing immigration policy. His moves have included closing the southern border, trying to redefine birthright citizenship, limiting access to humanitarian relief, removing noncitizens and pressuring localities to comply with federal immigration enforcement.

Andre Barnes, a director with the foundation Numbers USA, attended to support Bostonians who believe there should be less immigration. Numbers USA considers itself a nonpartisan group that promotes immigration-reduction policy across the country. According to its website, the group has more than 8 million members.

“No immigrant bashing, but we don’t think the policies benefit Americans,” Barnes said, holding signs that said “Sanctuary cities suck” and “Shame on Wu.”

“We’re trying to put pressure on elected officials and open up discussions with them about how we can lower immigration and make things great for immigrants and Americans too,” Barnes said. “We’re not vetting people that are coming across properly. The Trump administration has lowered encounters at the border, but executive actions aren’t going to do it all.”

“These groups should be working together to figure out how we’re going to get legislation that works for everybody,” Barnes said, gesturing to the mass of pro-immigrant demonstrators.

Several speakers on the pro-immigration side highlighted the historical and spiritual context of the rally, which coincided with both the anniversary of the Boston Massacre and Ash Wednesday.

“255 years ago was the Boston Massacre, and today we continue to fight for the freedom of Boston and for the freedom of our people,” Councilor Pepén said. “And not only that, as you can see I have some ashes on my forehead. It is Ash Wednesday and today we should practice being more humble, practice humility, practice loving our neighbors, because we don’t know what people are going through.”

Members of greater Boston’s faith community also appeared on Wednesday, including two Quaker women who said Trump’s policies were “making war on other human beings.”

“The Quakers in New England were part of a lawsuit saying that Trump’s rescinding the memo about sensitive locations, including making faith communities fair game for immigration enforcement, was taking away our freedom to worship,” Judith Goldberger of Boston said, referring to a lawsuit filed in January against the Department of Homeland Security by a group of Quaker congregations.

Newton’s Maureen Lanan said congregations are seeing an impact of the policy on the ground.

“We’re hearing from other faith communities that people aren’t coming to worship because they’re afraid of the ICE incursions,” Lanan, who had just come from a Quaker prayer service supporting Wu, said.

Cindy Rowe, president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, told the News Service that Boston would not be the city it is today without immigrants.

“Folks who are protesting Mayor Wu and what she’s doing today to stand up for immigrants may not understand the value of what immigrants have brought to our city and our state,” Rowe said.

She continued, “We have 185,000 job openings in our state right now. The way we’re growing is through immigration, and we don’t want to see the state stagnate economically — and I don’t think these folks here today would like to see that either. Immigrants are part of our communities, essential to child care, health care, restaurants, STEM. None of these things would be able to thrive without them.”

Leaders of the voting rights grassroots organization League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, who were standing in the crowd on Wednesday, expressed support for Boston’s policy and for legislation in the State House that would further support immigrant rights.

“We are a nonpartisan organization, but that does not mean non-political. And as much as we hate to admit it, people’s citizenship has been politicized,” LWVMA Executive Director Celia Canavan told the News Service.

“Our goal is always to reach across the aisle to find that common ground. We know that there are many concerns about what is happening in immigration policy, and we believe that there is a place for civil discourse, but not around people’s right to be here,” Canavan said.

When handling opposition to immigrant rights, she said the League leans on education to try to ensure anyone questioning immigration policy understands the lengthy process it takes for immigrants to get to the U.S.   

Though they were not a part of the counterprotest, Bostonians Against Sanctuary Cities has been organizing against the city and state’s immigration policies for years.

Co-founder of the organization, Lou Murray, told the News Service Wednesday that, “this is the beginning of the end of sanctuary city politics in the U.S.”

“It is a specific tactic to bring these four mayors before Congress,” he said. “The city of Chicago has been sued for their policy, which aligns with Boston’s policy, the TRUST Act… The Trump administration is moving with speed, and deliberately chose the Chicago district, instead of wasting resources in Massachusetts where the federal judges are even farther left than Michelle Wu. This is headed to the Supreme Court, and then we’ll see an end to sanctuary city laws.”