Worcester’s Community Preservation Act: A Grassroots Investment in Open Space, History, and Housing

As tensions rise over a controversial ICE arrest, the Radio Roundtable examines legal realities, community trauma, and the response of local law enforcement.

By Hank Stolz

WORCESTER, Mass.-  The Radio Roundtable, Matt Wally, Guillermo Creamer, Randy Feldman, join Hank and Ben to talk about the debate in the city over whether the WPD acted appropriately during the arrest of a woman by ICE agents. The incident has become politically charged, with accusations of political grandstanding and concerns about the broader immigration enforcement policies of the Trump administration. Immigration attorney Randy Feldman breaks down the law around the arrest and says that ICE most likely acted legally and did not need to show a warrant. He makes the point that ICE has broad authority to make arrests without a judicial warrant, but the protesters would not be aware of the legal nuances. Guillermo Creamer argues you cannot take the emotion out of this confrontation and feels the WPD should have been more empathetic to the protesters. “I think what I’m trying to get at is that at the end of the day, this was one of the most traumatic things that happened to the city. That is a fact. What happened in this city is something so many people are completely shaken by.” Matt Wally points out that under the circumstances of a highly charged situation with a crowd of over 30 protestors, and that number growing, the police were in a difficult position. If you are seen as obstructing justice, the police will respond. Wally said he thinks anyone who says that the WPD assisted ICE in this instance is certainly off base. That’s a stretch. Wally says the city of Worcester did not coordinate with ICE. The police were called to go to Eureka Street to deal with a growing and unruly crowd and to ensure there was some level of safety and that the laws weren’t broken. “And I think, as we’ve seen those of you who have seen some snippets of video, there was obstruction of justice and there were instances that would rise to a level of being arrested.” The incident has the potential to inflame further tensions around immigration enforcement and the role of local law enforcement in assisting federal agencies. More “De-ICE” rallies are being planned, and Worcester City Hall is closing at 5 PM before a scheduled City Council meeting out of an abundance of caution and concerns over safety.