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- Ann Richard confronts federal agents who took three painters into custody on Middle Street in Fairhaven as they were on their way to work on 9/19/25. Photo submitted by a reader who wishes to remain anonymous.
By Beth David, Editor
Federal agents, presumably ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) arrested three men who were on their way to work to paint a house in Fairhaven on Friday, 9/19/25. The agents stopped the van that was carrying the men on Middle Street, near the Pease Park boat ramp at about 7:30 a.m.
Ann Richard said she had worked on some weeding near the bike path before work and was heading to her job when she noticed the agents in the street. She turned around and confronted them.
“I said, I can’t just drive by this,” she told the Neighb News in a phone interview, adding she could not just let them do what they wanted without challenging them.
She said one agent was “huge” and tried to intimidate her. She said she did not care, telling him he could not to anything to her.
She first told them to take off their masks and show her their badges, she said, asking them what they were doing there.
“They screamed at me, ‘you’re not supposed to be in the street.’ I said ‘you’re in the street,’” she said, and told them they had no authority over her. “I kept questioning them, ‘why are you here,’ and I said ‘I’m not listening to you.’”
At some point, Fairhaven police showed up and they were “wonderful.” They just happened to be at the boat ramp for an incident. They told her to be careful, she said.
She told them, “I’m not backing down from these guys.”
She said it was wrong that these men who were just trying to get to work were arrested. The owner of the company was there with her young child watching as the men were detained.
“I’m not going to let these people do this to families,” said Ms. Richard. “I’m just not going to just drive by and let that happen.”
Someone called the ICE hotline and they came to help, she said.
Someone asked her if she had been trained on how to confront ICE. She said she had not.
“I’m just going to stand up for you,” said Mr. Richard.
According to a news report by the New Bedford Light (link below), three Guatemalan men were detained, and one was released a few hours later in Burlington, where he had to arrange his own ride home.
If you see ICE in your town, call the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts Hotline, 617-370-5023, staffed 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day across multiple languages. Visit lucemass.org
Find more details on the Fairhaven raid at https://newbedfordlight.org/3-guatemalan-men-arrested-in-early-morning-fairhaven-raid/
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