Over 614 ICE arrests documented in Massachusetts courthouses during 2025
Mar 18, 2026·Location: Massachusetts, MA
Country of origin: Guatemala

A GBH News analysis of trial court system data found that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents made at least 614 arrests in Massachusetts courthouses during 2025. Region 3, which includes Lynn, Lawrence, and Lowell, accounted for 227 of these detentions. Despite official policy prohibiting court officers from initiating contact with ICE, defense attorneys noted that court officers develop relationships with federal agents and provide information about defendants' court appearances. One documented case involved a man detained at Lynn District Court while disputing a civil infraction, who was subsequently deported to Guatemala despite holding a special immigrant juvenile visa and having a pending immigration court hearing. The arrests prompted state legislators and advocacy groups to propose legislation restricting ICE enforcement at courthouses for civil matters and limiting cooperation between local courts and federal immigration enforcement.
Timeline
Sources
- There were over 600 ICE arrests in Mass. courthouses last year. Here’s where they occurred.
WGBH·Mar 17, 2026·archived copy
- GBH Daily: 614 immigration arrests
WGBH·Mar 18, 2026·archived copy
- There were over 600 ICE arrests in Mass. courthouses last year. Here's where they occurred.
nenc.news·Mar 18, 2026·archived copy
More incidents in Massachusetts
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- Waltham asylum seeker deported to Uganda despite pending appeal windowSep 30, 2026 · Waltham, MA
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