Over 60 people testified in front of a joint House and Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.Migrant Justice and dozens of others who witnessed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation on South Burlington’s Dorset Street on March 11 took their two minutes to share their side of what happened that day.”It has absolutely been a long time coming,” said Rachel Elliot with Migrant Justice. “The police narrative and ICE narrative has been very dominant in the last couple of weeks, which is unfortunate. That’s a very particular side of the story.”This comes two weeks after the same committee heard from law enforcement, including the South Burlington Police Department.”It’s testimony that we needed to hear,” said committee vice chair Sen. Nader Hashim. “It’s just as important that we heard from the folks that were physically there.”Advocates say their goal Tuesday was simple: to keep something like what happened on March 11 from happening again in Vermont.There are a number of immigration-related bills sitting in the legislature right now that they say could do just that. That includes one that prohibits law enforcement from wearing masks, and another that allows lawsuits against state and federal agencies for constitutional violations.Senators who sat in on the committee meeting were shocked to hear the testimony, which got emotional at times.”We do not want to be Minnesota,” said Sen. Joe Major. “You don’t think it’s going to happen in your neighborhood, or your state, and then it does. That was shocking and heartbreaking at the same time.”The committee tells NBC5 that they will review what they have heard and come up with a plan of action.Written testimony can be submitted online to testimony@leg.state.vt.us for anyone who could not make it Tuesday.
Over 60 people testified in front of a joint House and Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Migrant Justice and dozens of others who witnessed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation on South Burlington’s Dorset Street on March 11 took their two minutes to share their side of what happened that day.
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“It has absolutely been a long time coming,” said Rachel Elliot with Migrant Justice. “The police narrative and ICE narrative has been very dominant in the last couple of weeks, which is unfortunate. That’s a very particular side of the story.”
This comes two weeks after the same committee heard from law enforcement, including the South Burlington Police Department.
“It’s testimony that we needed to hear,” said committee vice chair Sen. Nader Hashim. “It’s just as important that we heard from the folks that were physically there.”
Advocates say their goal Tuesday was simple: to keep something like what happened on March 11 from happening again in Vermont.
There are a number of immigration-related bills sitting in the legislature right now that they say could do just that. That includes one that prohibits law enforcement from wearing masks, and another that allows lawsuits against state and federal agencies for constitutional violations.
Senators who sat in on the committee meeting were shocked to hear the testimony, which got emotional at times.
“We do not want to be Minnesota,” said Sen. Joe Major. “You don’t think it’s going to happen in your neighborhood, or your state, and then it does. That was shocking and heartbreaking at the same time.”
The committee tells NBC5 that they will review what they have heard and come up with a plan of action.
Written testimony can be submitted online to testimony@leg.state.vt.us for anyone who could not make it Tuesday.
