Article 93 Hanson Main Motion¶
Arlington Town Meeting — Main Motion
ARTICLE NO. 93 Dated: April 24, 2026
I, Linda Hanson, do hereby submit the following Motion:
Voted:
That Town Meeting does and hereby resolves as follows:
WHEREAS, the Town of Arlington has pursued equity and safety for all residents
through its 2025 Racial Equity Statement, 2022 Community Equity Audit and the
2017 Community Trust Act Resolution; and
WHEREAS, the trust and cooperation of all residents is necessary to the
health and well-being of our community and local businesses; and to the
effective operation of Arlington local government functions, and
WHEREAS, the 4th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
reads in full: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,
papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not
be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be
searched, and the persons or things to be seized;” and
WHEREAS, Executive Branch law enforcement agencies, including
Immigration & Customs Enforcement, have recently engaged in a pattern of
unconstitutional, warrantless workplace searches, which have disrupted
small businesses, courts and daily life in many communities; and
WHEREAS, the threat of unconstitutional seizure of individuals by federal
authorities, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is preventing
immigrant households from safely engaging in public life, including
pursuing education, medical care and employment; and
WHEREAS, U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike are being racially profiled
and unconstitutionally targeted, harassed, and arrested by federal
authorities and law enforcement officers under the guise of immigration
enforcement; and
WHEREAS, workplaces in Massachusetts have joined an effort by
organizations such as LUCE (Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts)
to become 4th Amendment Workplaces that train their staff to defend the
4th Amendment rights of employers, employees and patrons; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Arlington can advocate for the rights of all
residents and local businesses and discourage the overreach of Article II
agencies (federal executive branch agencies) in our communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Town Meeting supports the
designation of Arlington as a 4th Amendment Workplace Community and
as such, will stand against unconstitutional searches by federal agents and
uphold the 4th Amendment rights of employers, employees and patrons.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Town Meeting supports and
encourages the Town Manager to continue existing efforts to inform and
educate town staff around upholding residents’ 4th Amendment rights; and
that we support and encourage all workplaces and agencies in the Town of
Arlington to join this effort to ensure respect for the US Constitution and
discourage federal overreach into our community.
Comment:
Initial submission of a main motion. This is not a revision, substitute, or
amendment to a previously submitted motion.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Linda Hanson
_________________________
Precinct 9
Date Voted: ____________
Action Taken: __________
