Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve is under pressure from state Democrats following an incident involving a campaign intern who publicly acknowledged alerting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about suspected undocumented workers at a car wash in Allston. The intern, Zac Segal, the President of the Boston University College Republicans, revealed on November 7 via social media that he had contacted ICE multiple times regarding the employees, claiming they were illegal immigrants.
In a post on X, Segal stated, “I’ve been calling ICE for months on end. This week they finally responded to my request to detain these criminals.” He added that he witnessed how American jobs were being lost to those he believed had no right to work in the country. Segal’s actions reportedly resulted in the detention of nine individuals at the car wash.
Democratic leaders, including Steve Kerrigan, Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, have condemned Segal’s actions. Kerrigan described the behavior as “abhorrent” in a press release, stating, “It is absolutely abhorrent that anyone would intentionally target hard working mothers and fathers and members of our community like this.” He called on Shortsleeve and other Republican candidates to denounce such actions that lead to family separations.
Shortsleeve’s campaign responded to media inquiries by stating, “We don’t answer for anyone else’s social media but our own, especially not a volunteer like an intern.” They emphasized that Shortsleeve supports enforcing immigration laws while also endorsing due process.
In a lengthy follow-up statement on X, Segal defended his actions, asserting, “I love this country, and everything I did came from that place.” He expressed his belief that reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement is a civic duty. Segal claimed that all nine individuals detained were in the United States illegally, and he referenced a statistic indicating that there are approximately 5 to 7 million working-age American men currently unemployed.
Segal also expressed concern over the backlash he has received online since his tweets gained attention. He reported that his personal information has been shared publicly and that he has 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,” he stated.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy in the United States, particularly as political candidates navigate public sentiment on the issue. As the campaign progresses, Shortsleeve’s response to this incident may have implications for his support among voters in Massachusetts.
