Relative of detained Allston workers shares message for BU student who called ICE

BOSTON — A family member of three workers who were detained by federal agents is sharing a message for a Boston University student who claimed he called ICE repeatedly.

Nine workers were taken into custody by immigration authorities at the Allston Car Wash last Tuesday.

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The law firm representing them said some had work authorization cards in their lockers, but weren’t allowed to retrieve them.

The President of the Boston University College Republicans, who grew up in England, is taking credit for summoning ICE to the car wash.

In a post on X last week, Zac Segal wrote:

“I’ve been calling ICE for months on end. This week, they finally responded to my request to detain these criminals. As someone who lives in the neighborhood, I’ve seen how American jobs are being given away to those with no right to be here. Pump up the numbers!”

In another post on Thursday, referencing a Boston Globe article, he said:

“We must stand up for this country.”

A woman whose father, aunt, and cousin are among those being held in detention facilities told Boston 25 News her family is experiencing immense pain and uncertainty.

She spoke exclusively with Boston 25 News on the condition that her identity not be published or shown.

“None of my three family members has any criminal history. Their only crime is being immigrants,” she said through a translator. “We came here to work, and instead, we are fighting racism day after day.”

She said her family came to this country from El Salvador to escape poverty and gang violence.

“Please look beyond our status just as immigrants to see that we are hardworking people who came here to benefit this country and to work for this country,” she said.

Segal is referring to the College Republicans of America for comment.

Boston 25 News received the following statement from its president, Martin Bertao:

We applaud Zac Segal, President of our Boston University College Republicans chapter, for his service to his community by reporting the presence of illegal aliens at Allston Car Wash, which resulted in the removal of nine illegals. Any person who enters this nation illegally is in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1325, and is therefore subject to swift removal by ICE. Zac Segal is a hero, and we are proud to call him one of our own. We call on all College Republicans to follow in the lead of this great patriot and notify their local ICE forces of any known illegal activity in their communities immediately.
— Martin Bertao

“He’s tone deaf. That’s exactly what it is. He wants to sit on his soapbox and grandstand,” said attorney Todd Pomerleau. “He’s proud that he called ICE regularly. Why don’t you study a little bit more?”

Pomerleau, whose firm represents all nine workers, said five have bond hearings scheduled for next week and could be released from custody.

“None of these people have criminal records. None of them were arrested for a crime,” he said. “It’s the most uncivilized response we’ve seen in the history of the United States.”

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued the following statement about the ICE enforcement last week:

On November 4, ICE conducted a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Allston, Massachusetts that resulted in the arrest of 9 illegal aliens including an illegal alien who chose to commit a felony by illegally re-entering the U.S. Three entered under the Biden administration, four were gotaways at the border, one entered illegally under W. Bush, and another overstayed his visa which expired under President Clinton.
For decades, politicians left our borders wide open. Now, thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, we have the most secure border in American history.
— McLaughlin

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