Protests Grow Over ICE Facility in Burlington as Residents Demand Humane Treatment

State Representative Ken Gordon on Wednesday spoke outside the Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Boston Field Office at 1000 District Ave. to a crowd of protestors that in just a few months has grown from two to several hundred.

While the Field Office, which serves as a regional processing facility, has been in place since 2008, public attention was sparked in June after Milton high school student Marcelo Gomes da Silva was detained for several days. Per the facility's agreement with the town, detainees are supposed to be held there for processing and released, not kept overnight or for multiple days.

Organizer Jared Berezin told a similar story this week of Yury, an asylum seeker from Honduras who fled political violence with her family. Despite following all ICE requirements, including using an app and wearing ankle monitor, she was arrested during a routine check-in on June 3 and spent seven days at the Burlington facility, forced to sleep on a cold concrete floor soiled with urine with only a mylar blanket. She had inadequate access to menstrual products or a shower and was given only a water bottle to clean herself, said Berezin.

While ICE didn't respond to Burlington Buzz's request for comment, Berezin quoted their official statement in his speech: "Detainees pending processing are given ample food, regular access to phones, showers, and legal representation, as well as medical care when needed." To the Buzz's knowledge, ICE has not directly addressed the specific allegations raised by detainees or protestors.

Gordon, who represents Burlington, Bedford, and parts of Lexington, said stories he's heard from detainees and their families, including during a visit inside the facility this June, led him to hear accounts that conflict with ICE’s official description of conditions. He went further to say the harsh treatment is intentional, designed to discourage immigration through psychological pressure.

"Make no mistake, there is psychological torture going on in that facility. And it's being done for a reason," Gordon said. "The federal government wants that, wants to get the word out to immigrants, even legal immigrants at this point, because they want them to live in fear of detention."

He said about half of those processed at the facility have never been convicted of violent crimes and are detained solely for immigration status violations, adding, "The federal government believes that the more harshly it treats our immigrants from places around the world that it deems undesirable, the more likely it is that people from those countries will not bother to come."

Gordon emphasized Massachusetts' welcoming stance toward immigrants, contrasting it with federal policies.

"Here in Massachusetts, we are fighting back every place that we can, protecting our immigrants. Here in Massachusetts, we value our immigrants," Gordon said. "We recognize the role that immigrants have played in helping us to grow our economy, helping us to grow our society, making Massachusetts a better place to live."

Burlington Select Board Chair, Mike Espejo, has been following the situation and attempting to get information on the lease of the building and the town's rights as it relates to inspection and zoning enforcement. In an August 14 statement, he said:

All we have ever really wanted to do is ensure that our bylaws were being followed and that the building is being used in the way it was permitted and intended. We also want to ensure that anyone held in custody in this town is treated humanely and fairly.

"We made a request to the landlord to inspect the facility and after about a month of waiting, it was denied. Due to the Supremacy Clause, we really have no jurisdiction over the building, even as it sits within our town borders. Working with Town Counsel, we have attempted literally everything we can to try and gain entry into the building. However, as we have seen, this is a tall task even for members of the United States Congress.

He went on to say he'll continue working on the matter "until we come to a satisfactory conclusion."

Protests are expected to continue in the coming weeks, with organizers expanding their attention to the facility’s landlord, Robert Murray, who owns many commercial properties in town. "He's a part of the community, he's profiting from ICE, and we'd like to see that stop," said Josh Model, a Lexington resident.

While some hope the lease could eventually be ended and the landlord could allow officials in for an inspection of the property, both Gordon and Espejo have noted that landlords have limited authority under federal law.

For now, Burlington officials say they will continue seeking clarity on the facility’s use, while advocates press for more transparency. With federal jurisdiction limiting local oversight, the concern over conditions inside the District Avenue building remains unresolved.