“Bringing hell to Boston is like bringing sand to the beach,” one person said of Homan’s remarks, which came a few days before a group of mayors, including Michelle Wu, are slated to testify before Congress about their policies toward cooperating with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In dozens of TikTok videos, several of which have earned tens of thousands of likes, people pledged to speak out against workplace raids and other efforts to detain unauthorized immigrants.
Some of the posts focus on Boston’s history of resisting authority when residents disagree with government’s actions, often referring to the 1773 Tea Party revolt.
One online refrain calls for an ICE’d Tea Party.
Some bluntly reminded immigration officials that Boston’s hard-edged reputation is well-deserved.
“I live in California and even I know that Boston does not play,” one user says. “[Bostonians] may be some of the most vile and hateful people out there, but they are vile and hateful with love.”
The show of resistance comes as the Trump administration’s directives targeting undocumented immigrants have caused widespread alarm, with some residents changing their daily routines to avoid the threat of detention.
The fear has caused immigrants to drop out of art performances and children to skip school, the Globe has reported. US Citizenship and Immigration Services said it would revoke an extension of Temporary Protection Status for Haitians, affecting one of Boston’s largest immigrant communities.
Half-joking, half-sincere, the social media posts represent Bostonians standing up for what they believe, said Sarang Sekhavat, chief of staff at MIRA, a coalition of immigrant rights groups that in recent weeks has worked to inform people of their rights against unconstitutional search and seizure by immigration agents.
“For a lot of people, this is a matter of civil rights, this is a matter of racial equality,” he said.
Immigrant rights groups have said that most immigrants are in the country lawfully and contribute tens of billions of dollars to the Boston-area economy each year. Immigrants should be able to take part fully in their community, including in criminal justice matters, said Kevin Mawe, executive director of the Rian Immigrant Center.
“We expect ICE to treat individuals with dignity, to respect their constitutional rights, and not cause victims of crime to be afraid to report crimes to the police and cooperate in investigations,” Mawe said in a statement.
Officials have in recent weeks pointed to laws and legal decisions that limit police and courts from cooperating with ICE.
“It’s nothing new for us here in Boston to stand up, when we have that ability, for the rights of others,” Sekhavat said.
Claire Thornton can be reached at claire.thornton@globe.com. Follow Claire on X @claire_thornto.
