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Trump border czar attacks police commissioner, says he’s ‘bringing hell’ to Boston
Tom Homan criticized the Boston Police Department and Police Commissioner Michael Cox.
President Donald Trump’s border czar said he’s “bringing hell” to Boston and targeted the Boston police commissioner in a speech Saturday, the latest in the sparring between the immigration official and Mayor Michelle Wu.
Tom Homan, speaking to a roaring crowd at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland outside of Washington D.C., said Boston police released “nine child rapists” instead of “honoring an ICE detainer.”
“The police commissioner of Boston, you said you’re double down on not helping the law enforcement office of ICE. I’m coming to Boston. I’m bringing hell with me,” Homan said. “You’re not a police commissioner. Take that badge off your chest, put it in the desk drawer because you became a politician, you forgot what it was like to be a cop.”
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Homan, a former acting ICE director who was selected as “border czar” when Trump was elected, went on to say that ICE “locked back up” the alleged child rapists and will deport them.
In Boston, local law enforcement is limited in how much they are allowed to aid federal immigration law enforcement agents. The Boston Trust Act allows police to collaborate with ICE agents regarding Homeland Security Investigations “on issues of significant public safety” like human trafficking, drug trafficking, child exploitation, and cybercrimes. But, BPD cannot involve itself in civil immigration enforcement.
Cox, commissioner since 2022, recently spoke on WCVB’s “On the Record” and reaffirmed that BPD’s rules include not enforcing civil detainers regarding federal immigration law.
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“Our department abides by Boston law and Massachusetts law. We don’t have the authority to enforce federal immigration law,” Cox said. “So from our perspective, what we tell anyone who comes to visit our city or lives in our city is that we don’t care about your immigration status. What we do care about, is are you a victim of crime in our city, or are you a victimizer. We still hold you accountable for that, no matter what your immigration status is.”
Wu took to Bluesky to defend Cox.
“This is our city. We’re going to continue following & enforcing the laws to keep all Bostonians safe. And it goes without saying that our police commissioner has my complete confidence & support,” she wrote Saturday.
This isn’t the first time Wu has fired back at Homan. The border czar called Wu “not very smart” in November after she reiterated that Boston resources and personnel, like police, are not expected to cooperate with federal agents attempting to detain migrants on civil warrants in the city.
“This isn’t about me. Our public safety record speaks for itself,” Wu shot back at the time. “We are the safest major city in America, here in Boston. And it’s because of the work that’s put in every day to build trust between our residents and law enforcement, and it’s because of our focus on making sure we are there when residents need us.”
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The mayor recently accepted an invitation to testify to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about Boston’s “sanctuary” policies during a hearing next month. She was called to Washington along with New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston.
Being present in the U.S. without proper legal authorization is a civil violation, not a criminal act, unless they are violating a previous deportation order.
This article has been updated to clarify immigration law.
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