Boston City Council condemns ICE killings

Local News

Councilors overwhelmingly voted to denounce the “extrajudicial killings” of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota.

The Boston City Council voted overwhelmingly this week to condemn the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minnesota. The symbolic move shows that councilors remain staunchly opposed to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and are largely in line with Mayor Michelle Wu on resisting it. 

Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, who introduced the measure, said that America is at a historic “inflection point.” The resolution calls the killings of Good and Pretti “a profound assault on American values.” The deployment of masked, heavily armed agents into civilian neighborhoods seriously harms public trust and stands in “direct opposition” to Boston’s values, it says. 

Federal officials smeared Good and Pretti after their deaths, she said, without waiting for any investigation to take place. 

“No government agency, none, has the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner. Extrajudicial killings violate the Constitution, they violate human rights, and violate the most basic standards of democracy,” Coletta Zapata said. “Boston has a responsibility to say that out loud. And it is a declaration that Boston will not be silent when federal power is abused.”

Coletta Zapata also mentioned Keith Porter Jr., a Los Angeles man who was shot by an off-duty ICE officer on New Year’s Eve.

“There are many others whose names are not widely known or publicly reported that have been killed during enforcement operations or while in federal custody and detention, often without transparency, accountability, or public acknowledgment,” the resolution says.

The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor. Two councilors were not present to cast their votes. 

Earlier in the same meeting, Coletta Zapata introduced a resolution expressing support for legislation that would limit how law enforcement can act in courthouses. It is a response to continued reports of ICE agents detaining immigrants while they enter or exit courthouses in Boston. These arrests are being conducted without judicial warrants, “causing fear, separating families, and leaving communities feeling unsafe and unprotected,” the resolution says. 

The bill would require any law enforcement officers, including federal agents, to identify themselves and provide warrants when entering courthouses to detain a subject. It would prohibit arrests in courthouses during proceedings, and ban face coverings inside courthouses. 

Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune co-sponsored the measure, saying that enforcement operations at courthouses are “abhorrent.” Residents are being deterred from seeking justice out of fear, she said. As an attorney, Louijeune said that she knows how harmful this fear could be for the entire judicial system. 

“If I had clients who were fearful of their immigrant status, I would not know what to do in this moment. And that is terrifying. It is terrifying for communities of color, it is terrifying for lawyers who are representing them, it is terrifying for judges who are trying to do the right thing,” she said. 

There was not a vote on this resolution. Councilor Ed Flynn objected, halting discussion and causing it to be referred to a committee. Flynn said that he would like to know more about the proposed legislation through a formal hearing in the State House, specifically how it would be implemented and how it could affect court operations. 

The City Council discussion came just a day before Gov. Maura Healey rolled out major legislation that would prevent ICE officers from operating in schools, places of worship, and hospitals around the state. In that announcement, Healey detailed a number of other actions she is taking with the intention of reining in ICE activity in Massachusetts.