President Trump ran on undertaking the largest ever deportation program in the United States, saying that he would deport “the worst of the worst.” However, when raids began across the country, it became clear that many detainees were being denied due process, and many of the arrested had no criminal record, were in the U.S. legally, or were even American citizens. Moreover, ICE stoked fear by often operating while masked. In May of 2025, when ICE detained people in nearby Acton, members of the Lincoln community realized that it wasn’t a matter of “if” ICE raids would affect those who live and work in Lincoln, but “when.”
Therefore, the founders of Lincoln Witness invited community members to meet at the Lincoln Library to discuss what to do if ICE came to Lincoln. The group decided to name itself Lincoln Witness with the primary purpose of mobilizing as a rapid response team should ICE ever come to Lincoln.
Lincoln Witness focuses its efforts on protecting civil rights and due process through education, advocacy, and support of the immigrant community.
Educating Ourselves and Others:
- We’ve attended meetings and workshops to understand the rights of immigrants and bystanders who observe ICE activity, and how to safely and effectively interact.
- We’ve asked local Lincoln businesses to post a flyer with the LUCE hotline number – the first thing to do if someone in town observes ICE.
- We marched together as the Ladies Liberty in Lincoln’s 4th of July parade, distributing information to attendees, raising awareness of the threats to our neighbors.
- We alert our neighbors and fellow citizens to opportunities to write or call legislators or businesses to advocate for due process and civil rights.
Advocacy:
- We met with Lincoln’s Town Administrator and Acting Chief of Police to discuss the town’s approach to the immigration crackdown and presented to the Select Board of Lincoln, to advocate for wider efforts to educate the community.
- We have regularly hosted a table at Lincoln Farmer’s Market sharing our mission with residents and encouraging them to sign petitions for legislation to protect civil rights.
- Members regularly participate in weekly vigils outside of ICE’s Burlington field office, protests against Signature Aviation, which serves ICE flights out of Hanscom Field, and other area protests and standouts.
Support:
- We’ve established a network ready to mobilize should ICE activity be detected in town.
- We fundraise for mutual aid groups and emergency relief for our affected neighbors.
- We print and share “Know your rights” cards in Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages.