ICE Director Todd Lyons has accused Boston Police Department of ignoring 167 federal immigration detainer requests in 2025, not 57, as reported by the city’s police commissioner, Michael Cox, according to Lyons. The requests included serious criminal charges and all of the requests were related to illegal immigrants facing criminal charges. The revelation comes after the Boston City Council voted to block a formal request from Councilor Ed Flynn that would have required the mayor to provide specific details on ICE detainer demands since January 2024. Lyons accused Boston police leaders of being politically motivated towards releasing criminals rather than cooperating with ICE, which he claims undermines public safety. The city denied that the detainer request was accurate, stating that the police department does not have the authority to continue detaining individuals once they are released from custody.