Vermonters protest along Church St. following shooting deaths of two by ICE agents
BURLINGTON, Vt. —
Vermonters protested along Church Street on Thursday following the recent shooting deaths of two people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Signs, candles and chants honored two men who were recently shot and killed by federal immigration agents at attempted traffic stops over the past several days.
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“These were tragedies,” said Thelma Gomez, rally organizer with Migrant Justice, “They did not need to happen. And it’s not something that we’re going to take sitting down.”
And so instead of sitting, dozens of Vermonters marched from Burlington City Hall to the federal building on Elmwood Avenue.
While the fatal shootings happened in Maine and Texas, Vermonters at this rally said ICE operations can become deadly anywhere.
“People who were killed recently aren’t from Vermont; they don’t live here, but they’re members of our community,” Gomez said. “Vermonters need to understand that ICE is active here, too. Border Patrol is active here, too. And they’re detaining our community members and taking them away from us.”
Protesters said they especially fear this following the ICE operation in South Burlington earlier this year.
“They were searching all over the house,” said Jose Jerez. “They were throwing things. They were throwing me all over the floor.”
Jerez was in the house ICE agents raided on Dorset Street on March 11. Now, Jerez said he’s nervous to even be outside.
“It makes me scared to leave, to go out with my friends,” Jerez said.
Vermonters said the city is not adequately prepared for another encounter with ICE.
“Police acknowledged all the issues with ICE,” said Melo Grant, Burlington city councilor for Wards 2/3. “They openly acknowledged it — Vermont State Police, South Burlington police, Burlington police — but didn’t acknowledge what they could have changed about their own actions to protect people. So, then they look like the enemy too.”
Since that March ICE raid and subsequent protest, Migrant Justice has organized more rallies with growing turnouts.
“The piling on, it’s like it’s one thing, but oh, that’s over there,” said protester Karen Glitman. “And then it’s getting more and more. So, I think that’s driving people to show up.”
Vermonters said it’s important now more than ever to show up as we head into the midterm election in November.
“As we approach the midterms, I think the temperature is also getting cranked up because it’s a point of action,” said protester Andi Colnes.
In a statement to NBC5 about Thursday’s rally, an ICE spokesperson said the agency fully supports peaceful protesting but condemns actions that disrupt federal operations and put people in danger.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet released the name of the agent involved in the most recent killing of Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday. But DHS said they were newly sworn in.
