LYNN— More than 60 Lynn residents gathered on the steps of Lynn City Hall on Jan.14 for a candlelight vigil in support of immigrant rights and in remembrance of Renee Good, a Minneapolis resident who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent last week.
The vigil was organized by LUCE Immigrant Justice Network, Lynn Rapid Response Network, Lynn United for Change, Neighbor to Neighbor, and New Lynn Coalition. Participants held candles and protest signs.
During the event, members of the organizing groups read a shared statement in both English and Spanish. Attendees also sang civil rights anthems, including “This Little Light of Mine” and “No Nos Moverán,” the Spanish-language version of “We Shall Not Be Moved,” emphasizing themes of resilience and collective action.
The statement mourned the death of Renee Good and honored others harmed by ICE across the country, naming cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Lynn. It described the impact of immigration enforcement on families and communities, citing deaths, separations, deportations, and abuse.
The organizations called for the abolition of ICE and a fundamental transformation of what they described as an unjust immigration system. They urged community members to take action locally to support immigrant communities and to push for policies that provide protection and justice.
The statement emphasized that upcoming weeks and months would bring calls for specific local policy changes, shaped by grassroots organizing led by directly impacted communities. Organizers encouraged broad public support and participation in those efforts.
“We will not let fear tear us apart or make us silent,” the statement read. “We will carry on the work that Renee Good was part of; we will carry on the struggle for immigrant rights and social justice.”
The statement concluded with a call for unity and resistance, asserting that attacks on immigrants are attacks on neighbors, civil rights, and communities as a whole. Participants committed to continuing the fight against hatred and misinformation while working together toward what they described as a more just and inclusive world.
