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Acton residents describe federal immigration enforcement activity; select board highlights state guidance and hotline resources
Summary
Public commenters described what they said were aggressive federal immigration-enforcement actions in town; select board members cited new state Attorney General guidance and local hotline resources for reporting and verification.
At the start of the June 2 meeting, several residents told the Acton Select Board they were alarmed by federal immigration-enforcement activity in town, describing unmarked vehicles, masked agents and at least two detentions.
Resident Lila Ramachandran said she spent hours canvassing neighbors and that she "witnessed at least 6 vehicles and plenty of masked men who refused to identify themselves. They were staking out a local business, parked illegally, and blocking traffic." Ramachandran described holding an elementary-age child who had watched agents take a family member and said a federal agent "threatened to arrest me while I was standing a distance back and filming," which she described as protected activity.
Several select board members and other officials responded with community resources and context. Select Board member Alicia (Select Board member) noted the Massachusetts Attorney General released new guidance for immigrants and communities on May 29 and directed residents to mass.gov. She also described local options for reporting and documentation, including a hotline called "LUCE" (spelled by a board member during the meeting as L-U-C-E), which residents and trained verifiers can use to report suspected enforcement activity.
Alicia and other board members encouraged residents to check on neighbors and to contact the town's DEI director and community services staff for support. Fran (Select Board member) and others thanked local organizers who hosted an informational workshop and emphasized the value of verifier training and legal-aid and legislative remedies suggested during the meeting, including a proposed legal-aid fund and location-data protections.
No formal board action was taken; the comments were heard during the public comment portion of the meeting. Board members repeatedly framed the remarks as public concerns and provided information about state guidance and local reporting and verifier programs. The meeting record shows multiple board members and staff pledged to remain in contact with community organizations and the town's DEI and community services teams to coordinate outreach and resources for affected residents.
