Congresswoman Lori Trahan visits Burlington ICE office, calls detention of 14-year-old "absolutely unacceptable"

Congresswoman Lori Trahan visited the Burlington office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week and told reporters the site functions as an administrative enforcement office, not a long-term detention facility. The pre-scheduled tour lasted about 90 minutes and came weeks after a 14-year-old girl in Trahan’s district was detained by federal immigration officials.

Trahan said her office notified the facility before the visit and was granted access. "There was nothing that was off-limits. They answered all of our questions," she said, describing staff openness during the tour. She said most activity at the Burlington site involves investigative work "targeting individuals with criminal records or outstanding deportation orders."

Speaking both as a lawmaker and as a parent, Trahan condemned the earlier detention of a teenager from Marlborough. She said the incident — in which the teen was transported to New York before a federal judge ordered her return to Massachusetts — was "absolutely unacceptable," particularly when children are used to target family members. "It's absolutely unacceptable that we arrest children… Using children as bait," Trahan said. She added that she could not imagine the fear and anxiety such tactics create.

Trahan also urged a distinction between the policies of the administration and the people who work at the facility, noting some staff have served there "since 2003." Outside the Burlington office, local advocacy groups and community members have held weekly protests calling for changes to federal immigration enforcement practices.

Trahan answered reporters' questions after the tour but did not announce any immediate changes to federal policy during the visit.