Key Takeaways
• ICE arrested a guardian, leaving a 12-year-old boy alone on Felton Street, Waltham, on May 4, 2025.
• Neighborhood watch volunteers ensured the boy’s safety, highlighting the crucial community role during stressful ICE enforcement.
• Massachusetts law prohibits local police from aiding ICE, reinforcing trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.
A 12-year-old boy found himself alone on a sidewalk after an ICE raid in Waltham, Massachusetts, on May 4, 2025. According to witnesses and local officials, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested the adult who had been with the boy but left the child by himself on a busy street. The event took place on Felton Street and quickly drew attention from community members, volunteers, and local authorities.
The Incident: What Happened on Felton Street
The ICE raid in Waltham shocked many in the community, especially because of the way it affected a young child. The child, only 12 years old, was left standing alone without any family or guardian present. This happened right after the ICE agents arrested the adult who was looking after him.
A group of neighborhood watch volunteers, wearing pink vests, happened to be nearby. One of these volunteers approached the boy, explained his rights, and walked him safely back to his home. Their quick action made sure the child was not left to cope with the confusing and frightening situation all on his own. This support highlights the important role community members can have during stressful immigration enforcement events.
Waltham City Councilor Colleen Bradley-MacArthur, who was present during the raid, recorded parts of the incident using her phone. She said seeing the 12-year-old boy left behind was deeply upsetting. “He looks about my son’s age. It makes me feel sick to my stomach as a mom, as a human being,” she said, expressing her strong emotional reaction to the scene.
ICE Agents and Witness Accounts
The ICE agents at the Waltham raid not only made arrests but also reportedly recorded videos of the volunteers present. According to Colleen Bradley-MacArthur, the agents used their cell phones to film the people helping the child. This seemed to be a way of keeping records or maybe intimidating those who were stepping in during the raid.
The councilor also reported a tense interaction with one ICE agent. She says the agent drove his car toward her while she was standing on the sidewalk. She believed this was an attempt to scare or threaten her, stating, “I could tell what he was doing. He was trying to intimidate me with his car.” Bradley-MacArthur tried to ask the agent to identify himself, which is a legal requirement for federal agents, but she says the agent did not respond.
Such details add to the worry that many in the Waltham and Massachusetts communities have about how ICE operates, especially when young children or families are involved. Seeing a 12-year-old boy caught up in such a situation makes it feel more real and urgent to many people living in the area.
Police Response in Waltham
After the incident, the Waltham Police Department issued a statement on May 13, trying to clarify their position. They said they “do not aid, assist or cooperate in ICE’s immigration enforcement efforts.” This follows Massachusetts law, which says local police are not allowed to help ICE agents with immigration arrests or raids.
Colleen Bradley-MacArthur explained that even though people might see local police during ICE events, their role is very limited. Usually, if officers are present, it’s to make sure crowds stay calm or to help the public feel safe, not to take part in immigration enforcement itself. Understanding this difference is important for residents, especially for those who may be scared of police involvement during immigration actions.
The police want to make clear that they separate their duties from federal immigration enforcement because Massachusetts state law guides their actions. For those who live in Waltham, this distinction should help keep trust between community members and local police.
Other Recent ICE Raids in Massachusetts
The case of the 12-year-old boy left alone is not the only instance where families, children, or the wider community were affected by immigration enforcement in Massachusetts. In the same week as the Waltham incident, a similar event took place in Worcester, another city in Massachusetts.
In Worcester, ICE agents arrested a Brazilian mother while her 16-year-old daughter and a newborn baby were present. Neighbors stepped in, surrounding the family and demanding to see official paperwork to justify the arrest. In this chaotic situation, the 16-year-old girl and a local school board candidate named Ashley Spring were also arrested. This event showed how quickly tensions can rise during ICE raids and how community members often feel the need to act when they feel families are being put in difficult situations.
Just two months earlier, in March, another ICE raid took place in New Bedford, Massachusetts. During this operation, agents reportedly used a battering ram to knock down a door and pointed rifles at teenagers inside the home. They ended up detaining two men from Guatemala 🇬🇹. Actions like these have raised serious concerns about the safety and mental well-being of children and teenagers caught up in immigration enforcement.
These repeated events have led many in Massachusetts to question how ICE conducts its operations. There is increasing pressure on officials to look into these cases and address concerns about people’s safety and rights.
Community and Official Reactions
Community reactions to these events have been strong and emotional. In particular, the image of a 12-year-old boy left after an ICE raid in Waltham has stayed with many people. Local officials, residents, and volunteers have all spoken out about the need for changes in how ICE operates, especially when children might be affected.
Parents, like Councilor Bradley-MacArthur, say it’s impossible not to feel personally touched when a young child is put in such a scary situation. Volunteers who step in during these incidents say it’s important for people to look out for one another, especially during times of fear and uncertainty.
Leaders in Massachusetts have called for more accountability, asking for full investigations into the actions of ICE agents. They want to make sure that rules are followed and that families, especially children, are protected during enforcement operations.
Legal Background and Local Laws
Massachusetts has laws that prevent local police from helping ICE in most cases. This helps to separate the roles of federal immigration agents from those of city and state law enforcement. It’s a way to make sure that local police can keep people safe and build trust with immigrant communities, without becoming involved in federal immigration arrests.
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has previously explained that police officers are not allowed to act as immigration officers and can’t detain or hold people for ICE unless there is a court order. This keeps local police from being drawn into federal immigration work.
These laws were created in response to concerns that people would be less likely to report crimes if they thought contacting the police could lead to immigration trouble. Building trust between immigrants and local police has been a high priority in Massachusetts for these reasons.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, on the other hand, is responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws, which sometimes leads them to carry out arrests without involving local police at all. These overlapping federal and state rules can sometimes create confusion during and after raids like the one in Waltham.
Impact on Children and Families
The main concern that has come out of these recent events is how ICE raids can affect children. When families are separated, children may be left by themselves, as happened with the 12-year-old boy in Waltham. Even when other relatives are present, the sudden loss of a parent or guardian can be very traumatic.
Research shows that children who are separated from parents during immigration enforcement often develop anxiety, fear, and trouble trusting adults or authorities. Immediate action by volunteers, like what happened on Felton Street, can make a big difference in helping children feel safe for the moment, but the fear and confusion often remain for a long time.
Some groups are asking ICE to change the way it operates during family arrests. They ask that children should always be kept safe and never left alone. Many organizations also provide training for volunteers on how to step in during these situations.
Role of Community Volunteers
As reported by VisaVerge.com, neighborhood watch groups and volunteers have become more common at known ICE raid locations, especially in places like Waltham that have already experienced upsetting incidents. These volunteers wear clothing that makes them easy to spot and are trained to talk calmly to those affected, offer basic legal information, and keep records of what happens.
The help these volunteers offered to the 12-year-old boy during the Waltham raid is a clear example of how important community support can be. Without them, the boy would have had to face the aftermath of the arrest all alone. Their presence made sure at least some of his rights were respected and that he could get home safely.
Community-based help is not a complete answer to the bigger problems, but it can soften the blow for children and families caught up in these stressful events.
Calls for Change and Next Steps
After seeing what happened in Waltham, many residents, local leaders, and advocacy groups want new rules or better enforcement of existing guidelines. Some are demanding an independent investigation into the conduct of ICE agents during the raid. They want answers about why the 12-year-old boy was left alone and whether agents followed proper procedures regarding the care of children present during raids.
Others are calling for even clearer separation between local police and ICE incidents, greater accountability for federal agents, and stronger training requirements for those carrying out immigration enforcement around children.
In addition, some communities are working on creating special teams or protocols to make sure children are not forgotten during future raids. These efforts include close cooperation between schools, local leaders, and legal aid organizations to help families prepare for possible encounters with ICE.
If You or Someone You Know Is Affected
For anyone in Massachusetts or elsewhere who worries about ICE raids and their impact on families or children, it is important to know your rights. Non-profit groups, local government offices, and legal aid services can provide information and help if you or someone you love is caught up in these situations.
If you want to know more about ICE operations and your rights during these events, visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official website where updates about policies and enforcement activities are posted.
Key Takeaways
- A 12-year-old boy was left alone after an ICE raid in Waltham, Massachusetts—a scene that deeply troubled community members and local leaders.
- Neighborhood watch volunteers helped the boy, showing the power of community during stressful times.
- Local police in Massachusetts do not help ICE in immigration enforcement, following state laws to protect community trust.
- Other recent ICE operations in the state have also drawn criticism, especially for the way children and families have been affected.
- There are ongoing calls for new rules and stronger protections for children during immigration enforcement.
- Understanding your rights and seeking support from volunteers or legal aid can help you or your loved ones if faced with similar situations.
The events in Waltham, involving the 12-year-old boy, show how important it is for communities to come together and demand that children are protected during immigration enforcement. They also highlight the need for federal agencies, local authorities, and the public to work together to keep families safe and uphold the rights of everyone involved.
Learn Today
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → A U.S. federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and conducting deportations and raids.
Raid → A surprise operation or enforcement action by authorities, often involving arrests or searches related to immigration status.
Volunteers → Community members who assist during events like ICE raids, offering support and information to affected individuals.
Local Police → City or municipal law enforcement officers who follow state and local laws, separate from federal immigration enforcement.
Community Trust → The belief that local institutions, like police, act in the community’s best interests, not helping federal immigration actions.
This Article in a Nutshell
A 12-year-old boy was left alone after an ICE raid in Waltham, Massachusetts. Neighborhood volunteers intervened, ensuring his safety and illustrating community support. The incident intensified calls for better protection of children during immigration enforcement and highlighted the separation between local police and federal authorities in Massachusetts. Authorities urge knowing your rights.
— By VisaVerge.com
Read more:
• Immigration enforcement actions rise sharply in Boston area
