[A] member of Migrant Justice and an LGBTQ leader in Vermont’s migrant community is scheduled to appear in immigration court in Boston Thursday after he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in December.
Cruz Alberto Sanchez-Perez, known as Beto, says he fears for his well-being because of his sexual orientation if he is returned to Mexico.
Sanchez-Perez was arrested by ICE when he was leaving a court hearing in Middlebury on Dec. 31, according to Migrant Justice spokesperson Will Lambek. Sanchez-Perez was in court facing a charge of driving under the influence.
Sanchez-Perez has worked on dairy farms in Vermont for three years, according to Migrant Justice. He was working on a farm in Addison County at the time of his arrest.
ICE media contacts did not return requests for comment on the case Wednesday. Automatic return messages to email inquiries said public affairs officers are not able to respond to inquiries for the duration of the partial federal government shutdown.
Removal proceedings had already been initiated against Sanchez-Perez after he was a passenger in a motor vehicle accident in 2016, according to Lambek.
At that time, Sanchez-Perez filed for asylum, asserting that he faced persecution because of his sexual orientation in Mexico, his home country.
“If he were deported to Mexico, he would continue to suffer persecution and violence because of his sexual orientation,” Lambek said.
Lambek said Perez-Sanchez has been a leader in advocating for LGBTQ farmworkers in Vermont, who are subject to harassment and discrimination.
“Beto has been a really key person in terms of raising the visibility of queer farmworkers,” he said.
In Vermont, Sanchez-Perez has worked with the Pride Center of Vermont to develop programs for LGBTQ migrant workers. A federal grant funds work the Pride Center does to help support LGBTQ migrant farmworkers who experience sexual or domestic violence.
The Pride Center said in a statement Wednesday that in addition to concern for Sanchez-Perez, they are worried that his detention “will also highly impact the feeling of safety” for other LGBTQ immigrants in the state.
“He is an asset to our community who deserves our love and support, especially during this trying time,” the Pride Center said.
Sanchez-Perez is currently being held at a prison in New Hampshire. A hearing in his removal case is expected in immigration court in Boston Thursday.