Updated at 5:15 p.m.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested several individuals Friday morning during an enforcement operation in Londonderry, the agency’s Boston Field Office, which covers New England, confirmed to VTDigger.
The people arrested were targeted at a traffic stop while traveling to a construction job site in the small Windham county town at around 9 a.m., according to a member of Two Rivers Area Indivisible, an immigrants rights activist group in the area. The agents arrested five individuals who were a part of a construction crew, Will Lambek, of Migrant Justice, told VTDigger. An ICE spokesperson, however, did not confirm how many individuals the agents arrested.
“ICE Boston conducted a targeted immigration enforcement operation Aug. 7 in Londonderry, Vermont, to arrest multiple criminal illegal aliens. No children were detained at any time during these operations,” the agency’s field office spokesperson wrote in a statement to VTDigger Friday afternoon.
The county’s sheriff, Mark Anderson, said that his office often receives calls related to ICE presence in towns and emphasized that the office does not work with the agency. He said his office was not involved in the operation and had no officers in the town at the time.
“My motivation is how do we support and enable public safety to keep our community safe,” he said in an interview with VTDigger, describing how ICE’s increased enforcement operations throughout the state have eroded trust.
The enforcement action in Londonderry comes after months of heightened immigration enforcement activity in Vermont that has drawn protests, lawsuits and multiple official reviews.
“This was one of dozens of ICE and border patrol detentions to Vermont residents this year,” Lambek said.
Much of the scrutiny has centered on the March 11 raid at a home on Dorset Street in South Burlington. Hundreds of protesters converged on the scene during an hourslong standoff as federal agents sought to arrest a man they believed was inside. After later obtaining warrants to enter the home, agents detained three other people not named in the warrants.
All three were later released from federal custody soon after. Recently, the ACLU of Vermont filed federal claims, a required precursor to lawsuits, against ICE stemming from the March 11 operation, alleging constitutional violations related to the raid and detention of residents.
The operation prompted widespread criticism from elected officials, civil rights advocates and community members, as well as questions about the role local and state police played in assisting with public safety during the confrontation.
In the months that followed, state lawmakers heard from police leaders, community members, protesters and people detained during the March operation as they examined law enforcement’s response and Vermont’s relationship with federal immigration authorities.
Police reviews by South Burlington police, Burlington police and Vermont State Police later concluded officers did not violate department policies or Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy, though Burlington’s Police Commission disputed parts of the city’s conclusions.
Protest activity has continued since then. Last month, demonstrators blocked access to an ICE surveillance facility in Williston, resulting in arrests and renewed debate over immigration enforcement in Vermont.
Two Rivers Area Indivisible said that the group has been in contact with U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt, and Sen. Becca White, D-Windsor, on the arrests.
“Our office is aware of this morning’s ICE arrests in Vermont. We are coordinating closely with state and local partners and community organizations to gather more information, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely,” a spokesperson for Balint wrote in a statement to VTDigger.
Lambek said that community members have organized a rally in Chester on Friday evening to protest the arrests. A separate public meeting, organized by Rep. Chris Morrow, D-Weston — the only Democratic candidate running for the local House seat in Tuesday’s primary — will be held Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Londonderry nonprofit Neighborhood Connections for community members to discuss how they can support those affected by the operation.
“We are in touch with the families of some of the community members who have been detained, as well as other people impacted by this, and are providing support,” Lambek said. “We’ll be looking to locate the people, explore legal options, and, if possible, fight for their release back to the community.”
Morrow said in an interview that the planned Saturday meeting will provide support for those in the community who are fearful of ICE, regardless of their status.
“There’s American citizens that are scared of ICE,” Morrow said.
