Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve is facing calls from state Democrats to denounce an intern who “boasted” about tipping off Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of Allston car wash employees he suspected of being illegal immigrants.
In a November 7 post on X, Zac Segal, who is also the President of the Boston University College Republicans, wrote “I’ve been calling ICE for months on end. This week they finally responded to my request to detain these criminals. As someone who lives in the neighborhood, I’ve seen how American jobs are being given away to those with no right to be here. Pump up the numbers!”
Segal’s tip to ICE reportedly led to the detainment of nine people at the car wash.
ICE told the Herald Friday they have an anonymous tip line — 1-866-DHS-2-ICE — where anyone can report “suspicious activity” and they will do the investigating.
Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman Steve Kerrigan is calling for Shortsleeve to denounce Segal’s actions, calling them “abhorrent” in a Friday press release.
“It is absolutely abhorrent that anyone would intentionally target hard working mothers and fathers and members of our community like this,” said Kerrigan. “It’s even worse to brag about it afterwards. This is yet another insight into how the future leaders of the Republican Party think and act. Brian Shortsleeve and every Republican candidate need to immediately denounce this hateful behavior that caused families to be torn apart.”
Shortsleeve’s campaign staff responded to a Herald request for comment, saying “We don’t answer for anyone else’s social media but our own, especially not a volunteer like an intern. Brian has been clear that he supports enforcing our laws, including our immigration laws, and he supports due process.”
Segal issued a lengthy statement Friday via X, writing “I love this country, and everything I did came from that place. I’m an American — born in Florida, raised abroad — and I chose to come back home because I believe in the opportunity and freedom this nation offers,” he said. “I reported suspicious activity to law enforcement because that is what any American should do. My intention was simple: to protect my community and uphold the rule of law.”
Segal went on in his post to say that all nine of the immigrants detained in the raid were in the country illegally.
“DHS has since confirmed that all nine individuals arrested were in the United States illegally. At the same time, our country has roughly 5 to 7 million working-age American men who are unemployed.”
Segal also claims that he is being harassed online ever since his tweets made it into the news cycle, adding that his personal details have been shared on social media that he’s even received death threats.
“Extremists have circulated my personal details online and sent death threats. No matter who you are or what you believe, threats and intimidation are unacceptable and should be condemned by everyone. I care deeply about America, American workers, and our future. My only goal has ever been to keep this country strong and safe.”
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