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Chelsea family files federal complaint over ICE detainment of man on Mother's Day

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Chelsea family files federal complaint over ICE detainment of man on Mother's Day


A family from Chelsea, Massachusetts, has filed a federal complaint over their treatment by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents during an arrest on Mother’s Day.

In the May 11 incident, the family was leaving church when several federal agency vehicles intercepted them at the border between Everett and Chelsea, according to video of the incident shared with Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra. After several minutes of arguing, and refusing to obey their request to roll down their window, agents broke the window to remove the man from the car.

After removing the man from the car, agents threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. Inside the vehicle were the rest of his family, including his wife and children. With the agents above him, the man could be heard asking why they were arresting him, saying he wasn’t resisting.

Laywers for Civil Rights, which has filed a complaint under the Federal Tort Claims Act on behalf of the family, said the man arrested was Daniel Flores-Martinez. His wife Kenia Guerrero, who is a U.S. citizen, was also held by police during the incident.

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Flores-Martinez was taken to an immigration detention center where he remains in custody, having been denied a request for a stay of removal.

“My children watched as their father was physically attacked, treated like an animal, and ripped away from us,” Guerro said in a media release.. “They have so many questions, but I don’t have the answers. Why would the government tear our family apart like this? No mother should have to explain this kind of cruelty to her children.”

Layers for Civil Rights says this reflects a larger pattern of behavior by ICE.

Law enforcement officials cannot open the car door without justification. A car’s interior as a whole is subject to Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable intrusions. No family should experience this level of fear, intimidation, and violence, especially not in front of young children on Mother’s Day and the Sabbath,” said Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights.

We reached out to ICE after the initial incident for comment, but did not hear back at the time.

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This is one of many apparent ICE operations that have caused controversy across the Greater Boston area in recent weeks, many of which have been captured on video. Agents were seen breaking a car window in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in April before taking a man inside into custody. That man was eventually released on bond when the government failed to provide charging documents.

There was a chaotic scene in Worcester when community members tried to prevent ICE agents from arresting a local mother. Video recorded by Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra on May 8 showed Worcester police, who were called in as the situation escalated,  holding a 16-year-old girl’s face to the ground. The 16-year-old and another woman, Ashley Spring, were arrested by Worcester police. A Worcester city councilor is also facing charges.

Turkish Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was detained by federal agents on the streets of Somerville and sent to a detention center in Louisiana. She was released after weeks of legal back-and-forth, has returned to Massachusetts and continues to fight her immigration case.

In a press conference earlier this week, ICE acting director Todd Lyons defended the work of his agency and said these operations are in the interest of public safety. U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley further warned that anyone who interferes or obstructs operations is subject to prosecution.

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Kennet Santizo

Kennet Santizo

Stills from video showing federal agents breaking an SUV window and detaining a man who was inside in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on Sunday, May 11, 2025.



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Massachusetts

State fire marshal warns Mass. bars, restaurants against sparklers after deadly Swiss blaze – The Boston Globe

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State fire marshal warns Mass. bars, restaurants against sparklers after deadly Swiss blaze – The Boston Globe


Massachusetts fire officials are warning bars, restaurants, and nightclubs that sparklers and other pyrotechnic devices pose a serious fire risk and are illegal to use without professional licensing, following a deadly New Year’s Eve fire in Switzerland that killed 40 people.

State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine sent a notice Tuesday to businesses across the state reminding them that sparklers — including so-called “cold spark” pyrotechnics often marketed for celebrations — are prohibited unless businesses have the required licensing, certification, and permits, according to a statement from Davine’s office.

“This includes small sparklers that have been sold as novelties or party favors to accompany champagne bottles, which are believed to have caused the New Year’s Eve fire that claimed 40 lives,” Davine said in the statement.

The warning comes after investigators said sparklers likely contributed to a New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, that injured more than 100 people in addition to the dozens killed.

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The notice was distributed to local licensing authorities by the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission and shared with restaurant owners statewide by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Davine said.

Separately, the state Department of Fire Services issued a notice to a Florida-based company, King of Sparklers LLC, after sparklers it allegedly sold online were recovered by Fall River fire inspectors at a local establishment, the fire marshal’s office said. Officials said shipping such products into the state violates state law and the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Code.

Fire officials said sparklers burn at temperatures exceeding 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and throw off sparks capable of igniting decorations, furnishings, and other flammable materials. Even after they appear extinguished, sparklers can remain hot enough to start fires, officials said.

Davine pointed to a 2022 incident in Dracut, where the improper disposal of illegal sparklers sparked a three-alarm fire that displaced nine residents.

Sparklers are classified as fireworks under state law, meaning their possession, sale, and use require professional licensing and certification, the Department of Fire Services said.

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Davine said the tragedy in Switzerland echoed memories of the 2003 Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I., which killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. The fire prompted sweeping safety reforms in Rhode Island as well as Massachusetts.

The Rhode Island fire was sparked during a concert when a band’s pyrotechnics ignited the sound-proofing foam near the stage, and the flames licked their way up the wall. It took a moment for the crowd to realize what was happening, but within 90 seconds after the fire ignited people stampeded toward the front entrance and were crushed, the Globe reported.

“The tragic fire in Switzerland has a chilling similarity to the Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island, which led to numerous safety reforms in Massachusetts bars and clubs,” Davine said in the statement Tuesday. “We just want to help these businesses keep their patrons and staff safe.”

Rhode Island State Fire Marshal Tim McLaughlin also recalled the Station nightclub fire in the wake of the Swiss blaze.

“It’s almost eerie to think about it — the similarities between the two,” McLaughlin told WPRI-TV this week. “It was something I never thought I’d see again.”

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Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com.





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Seatbelt usage up to 85 percent of drivers in Mass. in 2025, officials say – The Boston Globe

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Seatbelt usage up to 85 percent of drivers in Mass. in 2025, officials say – The Boston Globe


Seatbelt usage in Massachusetts increased in 2025 for the third consecutive year, “marking the state’s highest seat belt usage rate on record,” officials said in a release this week.

The annual Massachusetts Safety Belt Observational Study found belt usage rate of 85.53 percent among the state’s drivers last year, up from 84.36 percent in 2024 and 80 percent in 2023, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration.

The increase in seatbelt usage last year corresponded with a lower rate of fatal crashes, with 342 reported in the state in 2025 compared to 364 in 2024, said a statement from the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security on Monday.

“We know that seat belts save lives, and it’s so important that seat belt usage continues to increase every year in Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, in the statement. “We’re grateful for the hard work of our partners in transportation, public safety and local governments to enhance safety on the roads for us all.”

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The governor’s words were echoed in the statement by her number two, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.

“Whether you’re a driver or passenger, one of the most important things you can do to protect your safety is to buckle your seat belt,” Driscoll said. “This study shows that we’ve made progress in increasing the safety of road users.”

The annual study is required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to the statement, which said seat belt usage in Massachusetts has increased by more than 10 percent since 2015.

“Everyone has a role to play in keeping our roads safe, and wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest steps we can take to protect ourselves and the people we care about,” said Gina K. Kwon, the state’s public safety and security boss, in the release.

“When drivers and passengers buckle up every time, they help prevent serious injuries and make travel safer for families and communities across the Commonwealth,” Kwon said.

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Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.





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Canadian hydropower line to Massachusetts expected to be running in January

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Canadian hydropower line to Massachusetts expected to be running in January


The long-awaited hydropower line delivering electricity from Québec to New England is expected to be running in January after years of hurdles and delays, the company Hydro Québec stated.

“We have been actively testing the line and the transformers for the past several weeks and are making good progress,” a spokesperson for Hydro Québec said, adding the teams were actively working on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border and “expect to be ready begin energy deliveries in January.”

The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line, initiated nearly in 2017 under the Baker administration and under construction since 2021, is set to deliver 1,200 megawatts of hydropower from Québec to New England over 20 years, becoming one of the largest sources of baseload power in the region.

Avangrid, the company behind the NECEC, announced in November it had secured the final permit to get the power line running after years of regulatory and legal hurdles. The company estimated the line would be running by the end of 2025 at the time.

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The project to bring Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid, estimated to cost about $1 billion, is expected to provide Massachusetts with approximately 20% of it overall electricity.

The clean energy line will deliver about $3 billion in net benefits to Massachusetts residents paying for electricity, including “reducing in ratepayer bills by around $50 million each year,” state officials said.

“This transmission line will deliver affordable, stable power from our partners in Canada to our residents and businesses,” Gov. Maura Healey said in November. “More energy means lower costs. The NECEC line is a key part of our all-of-the-above approach to lowering energy costs and delivering the power our economy needs.”

On average, officials estimated, residents can expect to save $18 to $20 a year over the contract term.



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