Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Boston begin targeted enforcement operations before dawn to apprehend undocumented immigrants with criminal records who have been released on bail. The logistics of these operations demonstrate the time and effort needed to track and arrest each individual. With President-elect Donald Trump planning mass deportations, questions arise about how ICE operations will change under the new administration and whether immigrants without criminal records will be targeted. ICE faces challenges due to a budget shortfall, strained resources, and potential conflicts with local jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate. Following Trump’s election, immigration advocacy groups have seen a surge in requests for assistance from worried immigrants. However, fears remain about potential collateral arrests of undocumented individuals, even those without criminal records. ICE officials stress that their focus is on public safety and national security threats, maintaining that immigrants with final removal orders will be deported. Among the immigrants caught in the uncertain future is a Haitian woman living in Boston under Temporary Protected Status, who fears being separated from her U.S. citizen child if faced with deportation. The woman’s journey to the U.S. highlights the hurdles immigrants face in seeking safety and stability in a country undergoing significant changes in immigration policy.
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ICE agents conducting targeted operations against undocumented immigrants.
