Multiple reports of ICE detainments, sightings in Lawrence; 5 arrests confirmed, advocates say

Post updated at 9:10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17:

Lawrence was swept with reports of ICE sightings and arrests Tuesday, including a video that shows two people wearing ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations tactical vests handcuffing someone at the corner of 25th and Iowa Streets.

Sanctuary Alliance, a Lawrence-based collective advocating for immigrant rights, received multiple reports of possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement sightings throughout the day, as did The Lawrence Times.

Sanctuary Alliance and Somos Lawrence, a grassroots organization supporting non-English speakers, operate hotlines where people are encouraged to report potential ICE sightings.

Sanctuary Alliance made a post on Facebook and Instagram Tuesday documenting five ICE sightings from that morning, which they said they confirmed.

A volunteer from Sanctuary Alliance said that in the past, the team’s rapid responders would go to the reported location to visibly confirm or interview surrounding people on what they saw. In all cases Tuesday, the volunteer said they confirmed using photos and videos that had been sent in by bystanders.

One video shows four agents in tactical vests at the northwest corner of the Iowa Street and 25th Street intersection. Two agents are surrounding a plainclothes person. One of those two agents is wearing a vest that reads “ERO,” which stands for ICE’s branch of Enforcement and Removal Operations. A second agent in an ERO vest opens the door of an unmarked blue Nissan SUV with flashing lights on the inside of the vehicle. One of the agents walking toward the plainclothes person has a tactical vest that simply says “POLICE.” 

One agent appears to hold something to the plainclothes person’s back. The agent in the “POLICE” vest momentarily obscures the camera’s view of the plainclothes person, who is on the ground. Two of the agents lean over the person before they stand and the agents walk them back toward the Nissan. It appears likely that the plainclothes person was detained, but it is not clear from the video if they were loaded into any unmarked vehicles.

The Sanctuary Alliance volunteer said that three people were detained throughout Lawrence, including the person at the 25th and Iowa intersection.

The volunteer said that the Sanctuary Alliance team had been in contact with two of the three impacted families, and that all of them had been connected to an attorney’s office. The volunteer did not say which office.

Tuesday evening, the volunteer said they had confirmed an additional two people had been detained earlier in the day.

In addition to the arrest at 25th and Iowa, Sanctuary Alliance reported sightings in the RevCity Church parking lot at Wakarusa Drive and Harvard Road; near Hillcrest Elementary; at the back of the CVS parking lot at 23rd and Iowa Streets; in the El Potro and Hobby Lobby parking lot at 34th and Iowa streets; and at Hawk’s Landing, near Louisiana and 25th streets.

Sanctuary Alliance wrote that one person was detained in the CVS parking lot and one person was detained in the Hobby Lobby/El Potro parking lot.

There have been a number of reports alleging that ICE agents stopped a parent during morning dropoff at Hillcrest Elementary. Christine Caffey, principal of Hillcrest, did not respond Tuesday to a phone call or email requesting additional information.

Spokespeople for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Lawrence Police Department said neither agency was notified of or involved in the arrests. Immigration cases are civil matters, not criminal cases. Read more about that in this article.

How to report ICE sightings to advocates

The Sanctuary Alliance volunteer said the best thing community members could do is to continue to report possible ICE sightings through their hotline, as opposed to sending messages on social media or emails. The hotline is the best way to get ahold of volunteers in an urgent situation.

You can reach the Sanctuary Alliance hotline at 785-289-5143.

Somos Lawrence also operates a hotline that people can reach at 785-813-1098.

Know your rights

The National Immigrant Justice Center offers recommendations for encountering ICE and has sample administrative and judicial warrants to review on its website. For more information, read this article.

Sanctuary Alliance also encourages people to remember their basic constitutional rights.

The First Amendment affords everyone the right to record interactions with ICE or law enforcement officers as long as you do not interfere with proceedings. A graphic from Sanctuary Alliance says to “back up if you are told to do so” when recording.

The Fourth Amendment allows people to refuse a search without a judicial warrant. The NIJC recommends not opening the door if an officer knocks, and teaching that to children.

“Officers must have a warrant signed by a judge to enter your home,” per this NIJC fact sheet. “ICE ‘warrants’ are not signed by judges; they are ICE forms signed by ICE officers and they do not grant authority to enter a home without consent of the occupant(s).”

Everyone, undocumented or not, has the right to remain silent and the right to due process of law under the Fifth Amendment.

Appleseed, a national organization, has a free deportation preparation manual at deportationpreparation.org.

Pet owners who fear deportation or detainment can read about their options in this article.

Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at wulfe@lawrencekstimes.com.

Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.

Related coverage:

MORE …

Latest Lawrence news:

MORE …