ICE Boston nets several arrests in New Bedford, Healey, city's mayor respond

Tim Dunn, Boston Herald on Sep 22, 2026

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At least a dozen illegal immigrants were reportedly rounded up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in New Bedford this week as Gov. Maura Healey and city officials condemn the operation that’s part of President Trump’s ongoing nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration.

Healey released a statement Tuesday morning slamming the federal immigration agency, demanding ICE disclose who they arrested and why.

“ICE needs to provide information immediately. Who have they arrested and why? Our administration will continue to provide support to the community and families, but ICE needs to answer for their actions,” Healey said in a written statement, claiming the arrests led to young children being left alone at their homes and at schools.

“Many of those arrested have lived here for many years and have families here. They were on their way to work at a fishing plant, supermarket and other key industries for the region. We’ve heard of one father who was arrested and has several children at home, including a one month old baby,” Healey continued. “We heard about an 8-year-old boy who was waiting for his father to pick him up from school, but he had been arrested. These stories are heartbreaking and their loved one have no answers.”

Several videos posted to social media detailed some of the operations in the Whaling City on Monday and Tuesday, with one video captured by local news outlet New Bedford Guide, showing ICE agents making an arrest at a Market Basket as activists blew whistles and shouted at them.

Another video posted by New Bedford Live captured ICE agents making an arrest early Tuesday afternoon in the north end of the city.

A picture posted to Facebook by Jayden Vieira on Monday showed ICE agents making another arrest at a gas station off Kings Highway, also in the city’s north end.

New Bedford’s Democratic Mayor Jon Mitchell also released a statement saying the arrests included eight people who do not have criminal records, also accusing the agency of failing to provide the city any information and not informing the New Bedford Police Department of the planned operation.

“Yesterday’s arrests in our city underscore that even under new management, ICE continues to overreach. It grabbed at least eight individuals who were going about their morning routines. There is no indication that any one of them had criminal records beyond minor motor vehicle violations,” said Mitchell. “The agency then refrained from releasing information about them, leaving their friends, family and employers in the dark. And it failed yet again to notify our police department of its operations, putting at risk police officers who might arrive on scene.”

The Herald has requested comment and more information from ICE Boston.

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