3 Activists Arrested At Burlington ICE Facility, Police Say

BURLINGTON, MA — Three people were arrested for trespassing at the Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Burlington on Friday, according to police.

Police were dispatched to the ICE building at 1000 District Ave. at about 11 a.m. on a report of trespassing.

Three people were at the facility and police said they "attempted to de-escalate the situation." All three refused to leave, police said.

Police said they believe this was "a planned protest with arrests being the ultimate goal."

Nathan Philips, 58, of Newton; Natastia Lawton-Sticklor, 43, of Leominster; and Eleanor Reid, 33, of Hanover, New Hampshire, were arrested.

They were each charged with one count of trespassing and scheduled for arraignment at Woburn District Court on Friday.

The three were attempting to deliver food to those being detained at the facility, according to Boston.com. Police told them that ICE could not accept outside food, and the group said they would not leave voluntarily until they were allowed to deliver the food.

Reid told WBUR that there was "some pretty compelling evidence that people are not being given enough food, not being given sanitary supplies, blankets."

Lawton-Sticklor also said that the group had "deep concerns" about detainees having basic necessities "being withheld from them," according to WBUR.

The ICE facility has been the site of weekly protests recently over concerns that it is being used as a detention facility.

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