By Adam Swift
Chelsea continues to be a hot spot for the federal government’s controversial immigration policies and activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Geovani De La Cruz Catalán, 20, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents last Wednesday, days after his graduation from Chelsea High School, according to his stepmother, Mayra Balderas, a member of the Chelsea School Committee.
In addition, last week, the Boston Globe reported that Belizario Benito Vasquez, a 19-year-old Chelsea high school student, was arrested at a meeting he believed was part of his asylum application process, and then detained and transferred to a holding facility in Plymouth.
The Vazquez family is seeking asylum in the U.S. from Guatemala due to an abusive family situation and threats from Guatemalan gangs, according to family members.His mother, Marta, and his older brother, Alexander, immigrated to the U.S. five years ago. Both have clean records, possess work permits and have been compliant with the asylum process.
“I came to this country from Guatemala five years ago with my oldest son, Alexander, to escape an abusive, alcoholic husband and the daily threat of gang violence,” Marta Vasquez said at a rally in Chelsea on Saturday. “Last year, my youngest son, Belizario, was finally able to escape and join us here. Since arriving in the United States, my family has followed every rule, every procedure, and every law.
“Alexander and I both have work permits and work hard,” she continued. “Belizario is enrolled in school and thriving. We’ve had no trouble with law enforcement. We were building a new life here—peacefully, responsibly, and with hope.”
Vasquez said that when Belizario arrived in Massachusetts, immigration officials placed an ankle monitor on him. Then, last month, she said based on his consistent school attendance and compliance, he was told he no longer needed to wear it and was ready for the next step toward legal residency.
“But this past Wednesday, he was summoned by ICE for a meeting in Burlington—the same place where his previous hearings had been held,” Vasquez stated. “He went, as he always does, in good faith. Instead of a hearing, he was detained without warning and taken to a holding facility in Plymouth.”
Last Friday, June 13, a number of local mayors and city managers, including Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez, Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu issued a joint statement addressing recent ICE activity in the region.
“For the past several weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have been entering some of our communities and arresting residents,” the statement reads. “ICE has stated that they are prioritizing the removal of people who pose a threat to public safety. However, increasingly, ICE is arresting bystanders with no criminal record and removing so-called “collaterals” without regard to the impact on our communities.”
The city leaders stated that Immigrant residents who live in the communities are vital members of the Commonwealth who help to create the vibrancy that they celebrate.
The statement included examples of practices that they said they are seeing reports of in some of the communities, including:
ICE agents have detained residents because they looked like someone who could or “should” be detained. This raises questions of whether ICE is engaging in racial profiling.
ICE comes into some of our communities at times without any notice, detains individuals, and then sends them to another jurisdiction without providing any information.
ICE agents are breaking into vehicles without a judicial warrant.
“Our residents are impacted deeply by these actions. Families are frightened to leave their homes to go to school, medical appointments, workplaces, or church,” the statement continues. “These actions are fomenting distrust between residents and local law enforcement officials, which further erodes public safety and destabilizes our communities. These actions and some accompanying statements conflating all immigrants with violent criminals stigmatize an entire group of people based on ethnicity, race, or origin, putting them and others at increasing risk of harm or possibly the violation of their rights. “
The city leaders stated that they believe that these ICE actions are jeopardizing public safety, and urged the US Attorney’s Office to immediately investigate these practices for constitutional violations and ensure that ICE makes public their policies regarding how individuals are targeted, due process, and use of force.
“We know that these ICE actions are spurring fear and anger, which is increasing the number of demonstrations and protests in our communities,” the statement concluded. “We call on everyone in the Commonwealth to peacefully exercise their freedom of speech and to respect the role of law enforcement in maintaining public order.”
In a separate statement issued last week, the Chelsea Police Department sought to clarify what it said were recent online posts that inaccurately portray its involvement in several investigations.
“These posts have misrepresented our collaboration with state and federal partners, causing unnecessary fear and confusion within the community,” the police stated.
On Friday, June 6, Chelsea Police—working with the North Shore FBI Gang Task Force—placed Walter Alberto Romero De La Cruz, age 20, of Chelsea, under arrest for trafficking in methamphetamine and multiple outstanding warrants, police officials stated.
Later that evening, Chelsea officers, assisted by the Massachusetts State Police, arrested Gerlin Ariel Rosales-Munoz, age 23, of Chelsea, who allegedly attempted to set fire to a Shawmut Street home in an act of arson and other related crimes, the statement continued.
On June 10, the FBI Gang Task Force—of which the Chelsea Police Department has an assigned detective—executed a federal search and arrest warrant at 80 Grove Street, resulting in the arrest of an individual on federal charges related to the trafficking of illegal firearms, according to police.
“In all three cases, a widely followed online platform misrepresented the Chelsea Police Department’s role and our lawful cooperation with partner agencies. Misinformation like this only fuels fear and spreads false narratives,” the statement read. “The Chelsea Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and open communication. While some operations—particularly those involving violent crimes or narcotics—require operational discretion, we do not withhold public safety information. All significant developments are shared through our official communication channels to ensure accuracy and promote community awareness.”