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ICE agents swept through New Bedford, Dartmouth, and Fall River starting September 22, detaining at least 34 people by Thursday — the largest enforcement surge in the region since a 2007 factory raid.
- Agents hit grocery store parking lots, gas stations, and fish-processing docks, with no apparent target list; Mayor Jon Mitchell said none of those detained showed criminal records beyond traffic violations, and local police received no advance notice.
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One week before the sweep, ICE quietly removed thousands of detainees from its public locator system, blocking families and attorneys from confirming where arrested loved ones are being held.
Over five days, federal immigration agents swept through gas stations, supermarket parking lots, and fish-processing docks across New Bedford, Dartmouth, and Fall River, Massachusetts — detaining at least 34 people in the largest enforcement surge to hit the state's South Coast since a 2007 factory raid swept up 361 workers in a single day.
