Lizzie Swanson ‘28
News Editor
It’s been just over two weeks since President Donald Trump took office for the second time since the 2016 election. As new initiatives from the president’s office roll out, local communities are faced with new questions regarding the current political sphere. Trump has been following through with his promises to crack down on immigration, with over 300 new arrests across the U.S since he was sworn in. While these new initiatives pertain to undocumented immigrants who have criminal convictions, the number of collateral arrests still remains unsure. While the idea of a local ICE raid puts many citizens at an unease, Heather Arroyo, an attorney at Massachusetts Law Reform Institute stated there has not been an uptick. “There has not been a large-scale ICE raid in Massachusetts.” However, she did go on to say that the presence of ICE has been visible in Massachusetts communities and their existence has been loud.
Here in Worcester, our local government has made several statements pertaining to the possibility of an increase in ICE raids. Worcester’s Mayor, Joseph Petty sympathized with those who are now in fear of deportation and has stated that he is unaware of any recent ICE raids in Worcester. There are eight Sanctuary cities in Massachusetts, meaning that these communities can either deny or limit enforcement of federal immigration laws. The communities are as follows: Amherst, Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Concord, Newton, Northampton, and Somerville. Worcester, despite being the second largest city in New England, is not a sanctuary city. However, City Manager Eric Batista has stated that Worcester works to create a place where immigrants can feel welcomed and engage with the rest of the community.
Holy Cross has not made an official statement regarding any ICE presence in the Worcester area. However, an email was sent by the ITS department on January 31st which mentioned possible phishing scams, urging students to be on alert. ICE scammers are individuals or groups who impersonate ICE officials and demand personal information and threaten deportation. The email goes on to state that “ICE will NEVER contact you via phone, email, or text regarding immigration status or enforcement actions. Official communication from ICE is typically done in person or via certified mail. Be extremely wary of any electronic communication or phone calls claiming to be from ICE.”
The Latin American Student Organization at Holy Cross (LASO) made a statement on their Instagram page, @hclaso, last week regarding their solidarity with the Latinx community. “Our community expands beyond the gates of Holy Cross. The current socio-political state in America has instilled fear into our nation’s Latinx and immigrant communities…LASO stands in solidarity with our fellow Latinx community as well as our immigrant communities during these times and always.” However, LASO additionally commented on the involvement of Holy Cross in this discourse. “We would like to express our disappointment with the Holy Cross administration’s lack of acknowledgement given the mental and emotional toll students on campus are experiencing.”
However, there have been several events lined up by student organizations to help facilitate conversations regarding the topic of immigration. The topic for the Pax Christi meeting on January 30th was immigration. On February 4th, MEPA and JEBI co hosted a DEI/Policy Impact discussion titled, “The U.S Under President Trump’s Second Term: A MEPA Teach-In.” On February 6th, there was a fishbowl discussion regarding how the current presidency will shape our campus, community, and country. Both events were held in Rehm Library.
As our community continues with the second semester of the academic year, students are encouraged to take advantage of all opportunities that relate directly to their wellness. Chaplains are available throughout the week for any drop in appointments regarding student wellbeing. Mental health services are available at the CAPS office as well.
Sources:
Rios, S. (2025, January 30). In Mass. immigrant communities, rumors of ICE raids outnumber arrests | WBUR News. WBUR.org. https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/01/30/ice-arrests-massachusetts-fear
Schwan, H. (2025, January 30). Anxiety, fear ramp up among Worcester’s immigrants over ICE raids. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/worcester/2025/01/30/worcester-undocumented-immigrants-anxious-over-ice-raids-deportation/77979686007/
Trump’s immigration crackdown begins first week back in office. (2025, February 3). [Video]. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/trump-mass-deportations-ice-raids-executive-immigration-rcna188620
Featured image courtesy of NPR
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