ICE confirmed in Lawrence, Kansas; Bringing Awareness to the Haskell community

Lawrence, Kansas, is home to many college students who attend the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University. However, since the start of the spring 2026 semester, students have been on edge.

Starting in January 2025, when President Trump returned to office, his administration issued a mandate to increase deportations in the United States massively. This heightened enforcement of immigration laws has led to surges in detention rates through the end of November 2025, according to reports from the American immigration council.

This has led to the unlawful killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on January 7, and the detainment of four Oglala Sioux members on January 11 within Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a major enforcement operation targeting the area. Tribal leaders of the Navajo and Oglala Sioux have reported ICE detaining Native American individuals, raising concerns about members being questioned or detained.

Current reports from local organizations, such as Sanctuary Alliance of Lawrence, have reported that ICE activity has arisen starting February 17 within Lawrence.

Despite this, Indian Country is standing up. On January 20, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) posted on their website, sharing resources for Native American communities on what to do if approached by ICE. After their post, the Haskell Administration shared flyers for students and staff, informing the community of their rights.

Members of the Lawrence community, whether it’s Sanctuary Alliance or student activists, also shared information on hotlines, alerts, and solidarity training.

Haskell students were urged to keep important documents with them, including tribal citizenship cards and CDIBs. If detained, call the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). The organization is willing to assist if ICE wrongfully detains. The organization is : (303-447-8760)

Listed below are resources that provide information on what to do in a situation if approached or detained by ICE, who to report to if you spot ICE, what ICE can or can’t do, and guidance for attending/hosting a protest.

https://narf.org/ice-resources-2026/ 4