Lawyers for Civil Rights Takes Action, Files Records Request Over Everett Police Involvement in ICE Detention of 13-Year-Old
Seeking answers, the civil rights group raises critical questions about local police entanglement with ICE and information sharing about juveniles.
Escalating its scrutiny of the Everett Police Department’s role in transferring a 13-year-old child to ICE custody, Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) took action by filing a formal public records request seeking documents that reveal police communications and coordination with ICE. LCR continues to demand answers about whether local law enforcement violated state law by unlawfully facilitating the child’s federal immigration arrest.
LCR’s request, which follows its open letter calling on Massachusetts leadership to open an independent investigation into the matter, seeks public information to bring to light whether Everett police unlawfully coordinated the 13-year-old child’s transfer to ICE custody. LCR request demands:
- Explanations of exactly how arrest information is communicated to federal immigration authorities, and whether those practices adequately protect juveniles.
- Any policies and training covering Everett police officers’ legal limitations in coordinating with federal immigration authorities.
- Records of Everett police’s communications with federal immigration authorities in the days surrounding the child’s arrest and transfer to ICE custody.
“Due process is not optional—it’s the cornerstone of fairness. Every child, regardless of background, is entitled to legal protections. Irrespective of the allegations, the Commonwealth must uphold the rule of law and ensure that no juvenile is denied their rights. No child should ever face law enforcement without the meaningful involvement of their parents or guardians. Our work in Everett is about protecting the fundamental rights of every family, and we will keep all legal options on the table to get answers,” said Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights.
“Massachusetts communities deserve answers,” said Jillian Lenson, Senior Staff Attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights. “We need transparency to understand whether a child’s legal protections were violated here and how we can protect the rights of families moving forward.”
Lawyers for Civil Rights continues to call on the Commonwealth to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Everett child’s detention, ensure that all law enforcement agencies comply with established precedent prohibiting local police from prolonging detentions or assisting ICE in arrests, and hold accountable any officials who violate these legal safeguards.
The public records request is available here.