EAST BOSTON—Massachusetts activist Lucy Pineda, who operates a public Facebook page with more than 104,000 followers, posted an 18-minute livestream Thursday night in which she delivered a series of sweeping remarks about Italians — using terms including “narcotraficantes italianos,” “criminales,” and claiming Italians “live off drugs” and “just get high all day.” The broadcast began after Pineda grew angry that her followers were sending her screenshots of an East Boston Facebook page that had shared a Mass Daily News article reporting that ICE announced her brother — twice-deported Salvadoran national Emelio Neftaly Pineda — was back in @EROBoston custody after serving time for illegally reentering the United States. According to ICE’s public records, his criminal history includes domestic assault and battery, violating a restraining order, DWI, and an active warrant for leaving the scene of an accident. In the livestream, Pineda urged her 104,000 followers to report the page for “racism” simply for reposting the ICE announcement.

Emelio Neftaly Pineda is back in ICE @EROBoston custody after serving time for illegally reentering the US. His criminal history includes domestic assault & battery, violating restraining order, DWI & warrant for leaving an accident scene. He remains in ICE custody until deported pic.twitter.com/mEUJ4KJEua— ICE Boston (@EROBoston) November 12, 2025

The neighborhood page added no commentary to the repost. Pineda, however, described it as an attack — and her criticism quickly shifted into repeated characterizations of Italians tied to drugs and crime.

Throughout the livestream, Pineda referred to Italians with a series of phrases, spoken in Spanish and translated below, including:

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“Narcos, italianos.” (“Narcos, Italians.”)

“Narcos racistas.” (“Racist narcos.”)

“Una banda de criminales, de narcotraficantes italianos.” (“A band of criminals, of Italian drug traffickers.”)

“Viviendo solo de la droga… solo endrogándose — eso es lo que ellos hacen.” (“Living only off drugs… just getting high — that’s what they do.”

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The remarks came as Pineda continued urging her followers to report the East Boston Facebook page that had shared the ICE announcement. She framed the repost as an act of “racism” directed at her and her family, then moved quickly from criticizing the page to making broad, repeated claims about Italians — tying them to drugs, crime, and what she described as constant drug use.

Her language did not distinguish between individuals or contexts; the statements were delivered publicly to her full audience of 104,000 followers. The characterizations — including claims that Italians “live off drugs” and “just get high all day” — remain visible in the recorded livestream.

Earlier that week, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations office had publicly announced the arrest of Pineda’s brother. The East Boston page she targeted had merely reposted that announcement without adding commentary. Pineda’s livestream began as a reaction to that repost but quickly shifted away from the ICE update and into extended comments about Italians.

As of publication, Pineda has not issued any clarification about her statements. The full video remains available on her Facebook page and can be seen below.