BU College Republicans president says he called ICE ‘for months’ before Allston Car Wash raid

The president of the Boston University College Republicans says he was responsible for alerting federal immigration officials to Allston Car Wash, leading to last week’s highly criticized raid.

Zac Segal wrote on X Friday that he had been “calling ICE for months on end,” and claimed the Nov. 4 detentions were the result of his repeated reports. ICE officers detained nine employees during the operation.

“This week they finally responded to my request to detain these criminals,” Segal posted. He added that, as a neighborhood resident, he believed “American jobs are being given away to those with no right to be here.” Segal, who lists London, England as his hometown, ended his message with: “Pump up the numbers!”

Asked for further comment, Segal directed inquiries to the College Republicans of America. That group’s president, Martin Bertao, issued a statement praising Segal’s actions.

“We applaud Zac Segal … for his service to his community by reporting the presence of illegal aliens at Allston Car Wash, which resulted in the removal of nine illegals,” Bertao said. “Zac Segal is a hero, and we are proud to call him one of our own. We call on all College Republicans to follow the lead of this great patriot and report any known illegal activity to their local ICE forces immediately.”

Boston.com has also reached out to the Boston University College Republicans and to the university itself for comment.

Segal’s post came in response to a Boston.com report describing masked ICE agents who allegedly detained workers without allowing them to retrieve their work permits from their lockers. According to attorney Todd Pomerleau, who represents the employees, none of the workers have criminal records that would justify deportation. Most are scheduled for bond hearings next week, and Pomerleau said he expects them to be released.

“They’re people living the American dream,” Pomerleau said in a phone interview Thursday. “They were just grabbed and thrown in vans.”

In general, being in the United States without proper legal status is a civil offense rather than a criminal one.

Segal reinforced his stance in another social media post Thursday by sharing a screenshot of a Boston Globe article about the controversy, adding, “We must stand up for this country.”

Public reaction online was sharply divided. Some accused Segal of racism, fascism, or being a “disgrace” to Boston University. Others praised him as a “patriot.”

Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén also weighed in, saying, “If ‘standing up’ for this country means calling ICE on hardworking residents who are contributing to our society, you must have the wrong priorities for this country. Shame on you.”

Pomerleau criticized what he described as snap judgments based on a person’s appearance, ethnicity, or job. He said Segal’s stance lacked compassion and factual grounding.

“He’s entitled to his own opinion and beliefs, but I don’t respect that type of opinion,” Pomerleau said. “I think he should ask BU for his money back, if he thinks like that. It’s disgusting and un-American.”