Boston police departments rejected every detainer request submitted by federal immigration authorities in 2025. As reported by Fox News, the Boston Police Department declined to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 100 percent of cases during the year.
Police Commissioner Michael Cox confirmed the stance in a January 12 letter sent to City Clerk Alex Geourntas. In the letter, Cox stated the department denied all 57 detainer requests submitted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2025, citing Boston’s sanctuary law as the controlling policy.
The city’s position is governed by the Boston Trust Act, which bars local law enforcement from holding individuals or cooperating with federal authorities solely on the basis of an ICE detainer request. City Council members reaffirmed their support for the policy, a stance reflected in the recent coverage of how Republican confidence in ICE polling dipped.
The policy has now triggered a federal lawsuit
The refusal to honor detainer requests has escalated into a legal dispute with the federal government. The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against the city, arguing that Boston’s sanctuary policy unlawfully interferes with federal immigration enforcement.
Mayor Michelle Wu has publicly defended the city’s approach and dismissed suggestions of cooperation with the administration. She told reporters she was not interested in a “bromance” with the White House, a remark aimed at President Donald Trump following his publicized meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whose own stance echoes broader friction over ICE as documented in reporting on Democrats’ plan to stop ICE.
Cox reiterated that the department is obligated to follow city and state law, arguing the policy is tied to public safety. He said immigrant communities must feel comfortable reporting crimes and quality of life issues without fear that contact with police could result in deportation.
ICE detainer requests are filed when federal officials identify individuals in local custody who are believed to be removable under immigration law. The requests ask local agencies to hold those individuals past their release time or notify ICE prior to release so federal agents can take custody.
According to the data cited by Cox, the number of requests increased sharply year over year. ICE submitted 57 detainer requests to Boston police in 2025, compared with 15 requests in 2024, all of which were also denied.
Published: Jan 27, 2026 08:30 pm