Multiple Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity sightings were reported in Lawrence on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The sightings were reported and confirmed by Sanctuary Alliance Lawrence, a local advocacy group for immigrant rights.
Sanctuary Alliance posted on social media Tuesday, documenting at least five ICE sightings that morning, citing them as confirmed. Volunteers from the organization told the Lawrence Times they confirmed sightings via videos and photos sent to them by bystanders.
Their reports documented ICE activity at the following locations: Near Hillcrest Elementary, Rev City Church, CVS Pharmacy at 23rd and Iowa Streets., near Hobby Lobby, and near Raising Canes.
Sanctuary Alliance also reported that three people were detained Tuesday in Lawrence. Reports allege detainments occurred in the back of the CVS parking lot, and in the Hobby Lobby parking lot at 34th and Iowa Streets.
One video posted by Sanctuary Alliance and analyzed by the Lawrence Times depicts at least four agents dressed in tactical vests reading “POLICE” and “ERO”, which stands for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations branch. The agents were seen operating a blue Nissan SUV.
How to report ICE sightings in Lawrence
Both Sanctuary Alliance and Somos Lawrence, an advocacy group for immigrant families, encourage community members to report ICE sightings via their hotlines at 785-289-5143, and 785-813-1098 respectively.
Volunteers for Sanctuary Alliance said the hotline is the best way to report an urgent situation, instead of social media or email messaging. Reports can be made in English or Spanish.
Know Your Rights
Regardless of immigration status, all individuals have constitutional rights during ICE encounters. This page by The National Immigrant Justice Center offers specific advice for encounters with ICE.
The First Amendment grants everyone to record ICE interactions without interfering. The 4th Amendment affords the right to refuse search without a judicial warrant. The 5th Amendment affords everyone the right to remain silent. The Immigration Legal Resource Center contains more information on specific rights and advice for ICE encounters, translated into English and Spanish.
LHS resources and what you can do
ESOL Coordinator Katie Hutchinson works to organize safety resources for LHS students and families. She emphasized the widespread impact of ICE activity.
“We have students whose families are refugees, they have US passports, and they’re still afraid. We have people in this building whose family members have lived in this country for years and they’re still afraid,” Hutchinson said. “This affects more than students whose families are here without documentation.”
For more information about resources at LHS and how you can help, Hutchinson invites students to reach out to her via email. She works closely with Somos Lawrence, and organizes volunteers through LHS.
“The most wonderful thing that happened yesterday was just the outpouring of support from staff members and other volunteers,” Hutchinson said. “Our biggest job is to make sure that our students and their families are safe, so that’s what we’ll continue to do.”
