Vigil & Welcome Caravan

This past Sunday thirteen people, who had been swimming with their families and enjoying a perfect summer afternoon, were detained by ICE at Wilson’s Creek near Morganton, Lenoir and Hickory in Caldwell County, in the Pisgah National Forest. This was the largest ICE raid in our state in 2026, an operation to keep North Carolinians safe from… sunbathers.

These arrests have left many people separated from their families, a dozen businesses without workers and tens of thousands of immigrants who visit the forest weekly wondering if they can ever return.  No one should fear family separation while visiting our national forests, or worry that a dip in the river will turn into a trip to a detention center in Georgia.

This Saturday, we’ll show that we love our neighbors in the Foothills, and we’ll make sure more people understand how to defend their rights, and aren’t surprised by an ICE checkpoint a national forest.

Join us for two events at 11am and 2pm. 

11AM – Vigil & Car Caravan. Join us for a prayer vigil at Hudson UMC (383 Main St) in Caldwell County where family members of those who have been detained, local clergy, people of faith and Foothills residents who love the outdoors will

2 PM – Training: Know Your Rights & how to create safety at the Pisgah National Forest. You’ll learn how to protect the rights of immigrants in our communities and how to participate in a hotline and alert system to monitor law enforcement checkpoints.