Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak signed an executive order on Tuesday that establishes rules and policies surrounding any potential escalation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the city.Top video: See previous coverageThe executive order includes procedures aimed at helping city employees and the Burlington Police Department to understand their roles and rights if ICE agents were to increase their presence in the area.The order directs the city to review and strengthen its Local Emergency Management Plan and to update citywide emergency alert systems, among other protocols.“This is about preparation. This is about transparency, and this is about maintaining trust between our residents and their local government,” Mulvaney-Stanak said.The executive order comes amid growing tension that federal agents could target Burlington for a widespread immigration crackdown similar to what has happened in other cities, including Minneapolis.“It’s about ensuring our residents can distinguish between local officers and federal agents, and it’s about ensuring that Burlington maintains professional constitutional policing standards in line with our local and state policies, laws and most importantly, our values,” she said. Under the move, the Burlington Police Department will not assist in civil immigration enforcement. If federal immigration agents are active in the city, local police leadership would respond only to observe, document events, collect evidence, and report that information back to city officials.For Molly Gray, Executive Director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, the order provides needed clarity.“I think this measure demonstrates to them that when Vermont has a tool to use to help protect them, that we’re going to use it,” Gray said.Gray said in recent weeks, her organization has received calls from concerned residents, unsure whether they could call local police if ICE showed up. She said uncertainty creates fear.“To have measures like this that really reinforce that our law enforcement, our constitutional officers, and they’re there to help uphold the Constitution, to observe, to make sure that there aren’t violations occurring, that’s really important. And I think that builds public trust,” Gray said. Further discussion about immigration enforcement is expected at Tuesday night’s Burlington City Council meeting.
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak signed an executive order on Tuesday that establishes rules and policies surrounding any potential escalation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the city.
Top video: See previous coverage
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The executive order includes procedures aimed at helping city employees and the Burlington Police Department to understand their roles and rights if ICE agents were to increase their presence in the area.
The order directs the city to review and strengthen its Local Emergency Management Plan and to update citywide emergency alert systems, among other protocols.
“This is about preparation. This is about transparency, and this is about maintaining trust between our residents and their local government,” Mulvaney-Stanak said.
The executive order comes amid growing tension that federal agents could target Burlington for a widespread immigration crackdown similar to what has happened in other cities, including Minneapolis.
“It’s about ensuring our residents can distinguish between local officers and federal agents, and it’s about ensuring that Burlington maintains professional constitutional policing standards in line with our local and state policies, laws and most importantly, our values,” she said.
Under the move, the Burlington Police Department will not assist in civil immigration enforcement. If federal immigration agents are active in the city, local police leadership would respond only to observe, document events, collect evidence, and report that information back to city officials.
For Molly Gray, Executive Director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, the order provides needed clarity.
“I think this measure demonstrates to them that when Vermont has a tool to use to help protect them, that we’re going to use it,” Gray said.
Gray said in recent weeks, her organization has received calls from concerned residents, unsure whether they could call local police if ICE showed up. She said uncertainty creates fear.
“To have measures like this that really reinforce that our law enforcement, our constitutional officers, and they’re there to help uphold the Constitution, to observe, to make sure that there aren’t violations occurring, that’s really important. And I think that builds public trust,” Gray said.
Further discussion about immigration enforcement is expected at Tuesday night’s Burlington City Council meeting.
