In the eyes of Julie Macuga, the time is ripe for “mass civil disobedience.”
She’s one of the main organizers for Shut Down ICE VT, which is hosting a week of community action against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Vermont. This is a small state, Macuga said, and activists need more “people power” to have a sustained impact.
“We called for this week of action not only to get more people in the region and hopefully across the country involved in what’s going on here,” Macuga said, “but also just to generally be aware of what’s happening here in Vermont.”
Shut Down ICE VT, a collaboration of local individuals and groups, will join together Oct. 4-9 to attempt to halt the operations of ICE’s national surveillance centers in Vermont. The week will include a variety of events, with the goal of educating people about the role Vermont facilities play in ICE’s national efforts.
There are two ICE facilities in Williston. The Law Enforcement Support Center is home to ICE’s national tip line, and the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center, located in White Cap Business Park, acts as a hub for social media surveillance on the East Coast.
“It’s not typically known that, you know, two-thirds of the surveillance infrastructure for ICE nationally is just in this one town of 10,000 people,” Macuga said.
The week of action centers on community engagement as well as civil disobedience, with events ranging from skills trainings to art activities and community meals, Macuga said.
“There’s roles for everyone,” Macuga said. “… You don’t have to, you know, go face a line of police if that’s not something that you’re ready to do.”
The biggest public event will be a rally at the Law Enforcement Support Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 8, Macuga said.
The Williston facilities have been the site of earlier protests in February, May and July. Sarah George, the Chittenden County state’s attorney, has repeatedly declined to press charges against ICE protesters in her county, but Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark recently stepped in to charge 13 protesters arrested at the White Cap facility in July. Clark’s move sparked outcry among some Democrats, including Chittenden County Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale and gubernatorial nominee Amanda Janoo.
Federal prosecutors have also recently charged past protesters in Chittenden County.
Gov. Phil Scott praised Clark’s decision to press charges.
“We talk a lot about accountability,” Scott said at a press conference Sept. 24. “I know it’s not easy for the attorney general to make this decision to prosecute, and that doesn’t mean that they’re all going to be thrown in jail, but they’re going to be held accountable for violating the law.”
Vermonters are carrying on with their protesting despite those recent actions, Macuga said.
“People are more committed than ever to stopping the atrocities,” Macuga said.
Macuga sees Vermonters across the state devoting their time to “standing on the side of the road holding a political sign” but feeling discouraged by the lack of change that their efforts are producing. Recent polling by Vermont Public suggests that a majority of Vermonters disapprove of ICE’s actions.
“We’re trying to create this opportunity for people to do something that will actually impact ICE operations,” Macuga said.
