MONTPELIER, VT – State and local police officials in Vermont were questioned by members of the state’s House and Senate judiciary committees regarding the actions of their officers during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation earlier in March where protesters were present, as activists claim local police broke their policies surrounding assisting immigration enforcement operations.
Anti-ICE activists are reportedly crying foul after state and local authorities responded to a scene in South Burlington earlier in March where protesters were attempting to obstruct federal authorities from executing a judicial warrant to apprehend a criminal illegal alien sought on charges of illegal reentry.
Although the suspect outlined in the warrant wasn’t present at the time ICE officers arrived at the property located off of Dorset Street on March 11th, three other occupants inside the household were reportedly apprehended on alleged immigration violations.
During the March 17th joint meeting of the House and Senate judiciary committees, South Burlington Police Chief Bill Breault claimed he “was left with no option” but to enlist the help of his department and other nearby agencies to assist with crowd control while federal officers safely executed their duties.
Critics of the local police response to the standoff between anti-ICE activists and federal authorities have pointed to Vermont’s “Fair and Impartial Policing Policy,” asserting that police not allowing anti-ICE activists to obstruct federal immigration enforcement is tantamount to violating the policy that says local police may not “facilitate the detention of individuals by federal immigration authorities for suspected civil immigration violations.”
Local anti-ICE activist Finn Lester-Niles, who was present during the March 11th incident at issue, believed that if local and state police weren’t present during the executed warrant, then the crowd of agitators likely would’ve been able to stop federal authorities from taking people into custody at the residence.
Activists like Lester-Niles, who tacitly admits that obstructing federal authorities is part of their agenda, were of the sort called out by Burlington Interim Police Chief Shawn Burke during the March 17th joint meeting, with Chief Burke highlighting how bad actors use these protests as a “Trojan Horse” for their illegal agenda.
“As the crowd grew on Dorset Street, the peaceful activists were joined by agitators, a Trojan Horse of sorts, leading way to an escalation instigated by the crowd,” Chief Burke stated during the meeting, adding that there needs to be “greater accountability from the criminal legal system to address the violent agitators who clothe themselves as activists.”
The Vermont Department of Public Safety is leading an internal review of the March 11th incident to determine whether state and local authorities acted appropriately in light of the circumstances.
Anti-ICE activists are reportedly crying foul after state and local authorities responded to a scene in South Burlington earlier in March where protesters were attempting to obstruct federal authorities from executing a judicial warrant to apprehend a criminal illegal alien sought on charges of illegal reentry.
Although the suspect outlined in the warrant wasn’t present at the time ICE officers arrived at the property located off of Dorset Street on March 11th, three other occupants inside the household were reportedly apprehended on alleged immigration violations.
During the March 17th joint meeting of the House and Senate judiciary committees, South Burlington Police Chief Bill Breault claimed he “was left with no option” but to enlist the help of his department and other nearby agencies to assist with crowd control while federal officers safely executed their duties.
Critics of the local police response to the standoff between anti-ICE activists and federal authorities have pointed to Vermont’s “Fair and Impartial Policing Policy,” asserting that police not allowing anti-ICE activists to obstruct federal immigration enforcement is tantamount to violating the policy that says local police may not “facilitate the detention of individuals by federal immigration authorities for suspected civil immigration violations.”
Local anti-ICE activist Finn Lester-Niles, who was present during the March 11th incident at issue, believed that if local and state police weren’t present during the executed warrant, then the crowd of agitators likely would’ve been able to stop federal authorities from taking people into custody at the residence.
Activists like Lester-Niles, who tacitly admits that obstructing federal authorities is part of their agenda, were of the sort called out by Burlington Interim Police Chief Shawn Burke during the March 17th joint meeting, with Chief Burke highlighting how bad actors use these protests as a “Trojan Horse” for their illegal agenda.
“As the crowd grew on Dorset Street, the peaceful activists were joined by agitators, a Trojan Horse of sorts, leading way to an escalation instigated by the crowd,” Chief Burke stated during the meeting, adding that there needs to be “greater accountability from the criminal legal system to address the violent agitators who clothe themselves as activists.”
The Vermont Department of Public Safety is leading an internal review of the March 11th incident to determine whether state and local authorities acted appropriately in light of the circumstances.
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