Local News

More than 100 detained immigrants transferred from New England to New Mexico, advocates say

The large-scale transfer appears to be part of the Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport millions of undocumented immigrants.

February 15, 2025

2 minutes to read

At least 114 immigrants detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New England facilities were transferred to New Mexico in early February, according to immigration advocates.

The large-scale transfer happened without notice on Feb. 2, and included detainees who were being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility, according to a Boston Globe report. The detainees were reportedly awoken in the early morning hours and flown to the Torrance County Detention Center in Estancia, New Mexico.

The Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN), an immigrant advocate group, said it received reports that detainees in Portland, Maine, were also part of the transfer.

“Involuntary transfers are just one of the many ways ICE is violent towards immigration detainees,” BIJAN wrote in a Facebook post on Feb. 10. “People are moved around all the time without reason, sometimes in retaliation for things such as organizing or complaining. This prevents people in detention from advocating for themselves, accessing legal representation, and being in contact with loved ones.”

The transfer aligns with the Trump administration’s push to deport millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

“We figured this would be the start of a new trend of how the facilities are being used here as Trump rolls out the apparent mass deportation plans,” Rebecca Sheff, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU of New Mexico, told the Globe. She added that such a large-scale transfer from such a faraway location is “highly atypical.”

The Plymouth facility, which the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department manages, is the only prison in Massachusetts that currently houses ICE detainees. In August, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey expressed concern over “inhumane conditions” reported at the facility.

On Aug. 8, immigration advocates filed a complaint with Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office alleging punitive use of solitary confinement, restricted communication with family members and legal resources, and lack of medical care.

A man who identified himself as Miguel and was part of the Feb. 2 transfer from Plymouth told the Globe the conditions are far worse at the Estancia facility. Miguel said detainees have no privacy when using the restroom and showering, and are not given enough water to drink. He also told the Globe he has to pay for all phone calls, cannot shower for days, and his clothes are rarely washed.

“Now, I feel like we are in real hell,” he said. “We are in a jail that is not apt for people.”