Federal agents seen in Chelsea; man says brother was detained despite work papers

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents conducted operations in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, the city confirmed, after a prominent nonprofit, witnesses and social media users discussed raids taking place.

One man said his brother was taken by agents, along with two co-workers, despite having legal work documents.

"I have no idea where my brother is, what's the situation he's in," Derick Morales said.

La Colaborativa, one of the Boston area's most prominent immigrant support organizations, put a notice on Facebook in Spanish Tuesday morning saying they'd confirmed ICE raids in Chelsea.

"Remember that as an immigrant, you also have rights," they wrote, later noting that their offices were closed for the day.

Witnesses shared with NBC10 Boston video of people apparently being taken into custody in Chelsea.

Cecibel

Cecibel

An ICE spokesman declined to comment, citing standing policy on discussing operations.

Neither the city of Chelsea nor its police department took part in the ICE operations Tuesday, a city spokeswoman said in a statement: "The City of Chelsea did not participate in the actions that occurred today. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates independently from the City. The Chelsea Police Department was notified, but did not take part in any federal law enforcement actions that occurred today."

ICE has been cracking down on illegal immigration, after President Donald Trump promised mass roundups and deportations of undocumented immigrants.

Morales said he never imagined that federal immigration authorities would go after his family, who he says are in the country legally.

His brother Ivan was one of three workers apparently taken into custody after federal agents pulled over their contractor van near Chelsea City Hall, at a meeting spot where many migrants get picked up for work.

"My brother has no criminal records, these documents [are] to work here legally. They still decided to take him," Morales said.

Jose Orellana said they are his employees, two from Colombia and one, Ivan, from El Salvador.

"They are good people, hard workers, and it's very sad," Orellana said.

The agents demanded to see their papers, according to Orellana who said "they don't have any criminal record. Nothing. The only thing they did was to be in this country without papers."

News spread quickly on social media — agents were also seen at Chelsea's Market Basket and in neighboring Everett and East Boston, though it wasn't clear what they may have been doing in the area — catching the eye of La Colaborativa.

CEO Gladys Vega said she's never seen such a prolonged ICE presence in her community, and advised people to remain alert, "making sure that they that they stay quiet, that they use their little red card, that if they don't have a warrant signed by a judge that they don’t have to open the door."

Wilfredo Lemus recorded the detentions near Chelsea City Hall, trying to keep the immigrant community informed.

"Now, it could be these guys right here, but probably tomorrow, it could be somebody right inside my family, or it could be me," he said.