ICE Director Accuses Boston Police of Ignoring Detainer Requests

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons says Boston police ignored 167 immigration detainer requests in 2025, far more than the 57 the city acknowledged.

Published on Mar. 3, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons is criticizing the Boston Police Department for ignoring immigration detainer requests after ICE arrested large numbers of illegal aliens in Massachusetts. Lyons said police ignored nearly 170 of those requests in 2025, not 57 as the city's police commissioner claimed.

Why it matters

This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement over immigration enforcement. It raises questions about public safety, community trust, and the role of local police in cooperating with federal immigration agencies.

The details

Lyons told the Boston Herald that ICE lodged 167 immigration detainers against criminal illegal aliens in Boston police custody during 2025, far more than the 57 the Boston Police Department acknowledged. Lyons accused the police of being "politically motivated" and more concerned with "building and strengthening relationships and trust with the community" than public safety. He cited the case of Marlon Joel Rodriguez, a 36-year-old from Angola with pending assault and battery charges, as an example of a criminal illegal alien the police refused to hand over to ICE.

  • In 2025, ICE lodged 167 immigration detainer requests with the Boston Police Department.
  • In August 2025, Lyons claimed Boston police officers were secretly helping ICE arrest criminal illegal aliens, despite the city's sanctuary policies.

The players

Todd Lyons

The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Michael Cox

The commissioner of the Boston Police Department.

Marlon Joel Rodriguez

A 36-year-old from Angola with pending assault and battery charges that Boston police refused to hand over to ICE.

Michelle Wu

The mayor of Boston, who has been criticized for the city's sanctuary policies.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“ICE lodged 167 immigration detainers against criminal illegal aliens in Boston police custody during 2025 — far more than the Boston Police Department is admitting to. Ironically, Commissioner Michael Cox says the police won't honor our detainers because they're committed to building and strengthening relationships and trust with the community.”

— Todd Lyons, Acting ICE Director (Boston Herald)

“But how does releasing criminal illegal aliens back into the communities they victimized build trust? It doesn't. It shows Bostonians that local police leaders are so politically motivated that they would rather release criminals than work with ICE, which completely undermines public safety.”

— Todd Lyons, Acting ICE Director (Boston Herald)

What’s next

The dispute between ICE and the Boston Police Department is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how the two agencies will resolve their differences over immigration enforcement.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex and often contentious relationship between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement, as they navigate issues of public safety, community trust, and the role of local police in cooperating with federal immigration agencies.