Boston Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu says her administration will file public records requests to identify private property owners who express interest in leasing parking spaces to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of an ongoing dispute between the sanctuary city and federal immigration authorities.
ICE recently posted a solicitation seeking property owners across the country "capable of providing surface and/or structured vehicle parking spaces in the vicinity of existing or planned ICE facilities." According to the Boston Herald, ICE is looking for 249 contiguous parking spaces in the Boston area. Wu said she wants that information so city officials can contact those property owners directly.
"We as a city will be filing another FOIA request for any responses that have come in from the Boston area so that we know what information they may be sifting through," Wu said in an interview Sunday. "We strongly oppose any expansion of their efforts here and would encourage and will be reaching out to property owners to try to make sure that they're not adding to a surge of unlawful and dangerous activity."
Wu acknowledged the city "can't block private property [owners]" but said officials can inform them about her administration's position. "This is not a way to make our community safer," she said.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive leaders and immigrant advocacy groups have defended Wu's approach, arguing that sanctuary city policies protect vulnerable populations and maintain trust between communities and local government. Wu cited recent ICE activity as context for her opposition, including an operation in Maine where a federal officer fatally shot a migrant during an enforcement action.
"Unfortunately, we already have proof of what happens when they conduct a surge operation," Wu said. "We've seen it in other cities, we've seen it to some extent in the greater Boston-Massachusetts Commonwealth area." She pointed to incidents in Maine and Minnesota as examples of consequences she wants to prevent in Massachusetts.
The mayor said Boston has already taken steps to limit federal access to public property. "We look to find as much information as possible about what their plans are, what information they might be looking at in order to have the best possible response and protect our communities," Wu said.
What the Right Is Saying
The Department of Homeland Security responded Monday with sharp criticism of Wu's plan. The agency posted on X that the "pro-criminal mayor" is "trying to intimidate Bostonians" while acknowledging she has "ZERO authority to block ICE from utilizing private property."
"If PRIVATE citizens want to allow federal law enforcement onto their OWN property, they should be allowed to do so," DHS wrote. The statement also accused Wu of comparing "ICE agents to a neo-Nazi group," referring to remarks the mayor made during an earlier public event.
Conservative critics argue that sanctuary city policies obstruct lawful immigration enforcement and that local officials who interfere with federal operations undermine the rule of law. Supporters of the administration's immigration agenda say property owners have every right to contract with federal agencies without intimidation from local governments.
What the Numbers Show
Boston's status as a sanctuary city means local authorities limit cooperation with federal immigration detention requests. According to city policy, Boston does not honor ICE detainers unless accompanied by a judicial warrant. The city's population stands at approximately 675,000 residents, with foreign-born residents comprising roughly 28 percent of the population, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
ICE has conducted targeted enforcement operations in Massachusetts and neighboring states in recent months, part of increased immigration enforcement under the current federal administration. The agency has sought parking facilities near its existing offices across multiple metropolitan areas as part of operational expansion plans.
The Bottom Line
Wu's public records strategy highlights ongoing tensions between sanctuary cities and federal immigration authorities over local cooperation policies. While Boston cannot legally prevent private property owners from entering leases with ICE, city officials say they can use outreach to discourage participation in federal operations.
The Department of Homeland Security has rejected Wu's authority to interfere with private leasing decisions and accused her administration of intimidation tactics. Property owners who receive city outreach will ultimately decide whether to participate in the federal solicitation. The dispute reflects broader conflicts between localities asserting autonomy over immigration enforcement and federal agencies expanding operational capacity.