Protests Rally Near Burlington ICE Facility Over Immigration Detention

(BURLINGTON, VERMONT) Several hundred people gathered at Burlington’s City Hall Park on a recent Tuesday evening for a Burlington protest supporting immigration detainees and echoing calls from Los Angeles residents opposing recent ICE actions. Organized by Migrant Justice, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and 50501 Vermont, the crowd filled the downtown green and then marched up Church Street, taking several minutes to pass City Hall. Organizers said the goal was simple: show detained immigrants they are not alone and press officials to improve detention conditions and access to legal help.

The Tuesday rally marked one of the larger turnouts this year, but it is part of a wider pattern. Weekly demonstrations have been held outside the ICE New England Regional Headquarters in Burlington, where activists say they want consistent public pressure on detention authorities.

Rev. Andrew Harris of the Burlington United Church of Christ has helped coordinate those weekly protests, which drew approximately 500 people at one recent gathering outside a 42,000‑square‑foot building in a nearby office park. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, steady midweek events have become a fixture of regional organizing, helping residents plug into court support, fundraising, and rides for families visiting loved ones.

Protest Locations and Patterns

• Primary venues:
  • City Hall Park (regular rallies and marches)
  • ICE New England Regional Office (weekly demonstrations)
  • Federal Courthouse — 11 Elmwood Avenue (court support gatherings)

While social media posts have sometimes mentioned a protest at a South Burlington prison, there is no verified record of such an action. Instead, the main activity has centered on the sites above.

Court support has become a key part of local advocacy, with rallies tied to bail hearings and individual cases. Recent examples included support actions in July for detainees identified as Nacho and Heidi, and court backing for a Chinese woman, Huan, who was being held at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility.

Supporters say courthouse gatherings are quieter than the park rallies but just as important, because they connect people to defense attorneys, interpreters, and mental health resources during tense hearings.

Court support links public pressure with direct services: legal access, interpretation, and emotional care during hearings.

Help for Families: Practical Support at Events

Families of immigration detainees describe long drives, missed wages, and confusion about schedules and policies. One local caseworker said parents often arrive at court unsure if they will be allowed to speak with their relative or even see them.

Volunteers at Burlington protest events have responded with practical supports:

• Information tables with phone numbers for legal aid
• A simple guide to checking a person’s status using the official ICE Detainee Locator: https://locator.ice.gov
• Privacy guidance and tips:
  • The locator works best with an Alien Registration Number (A‑Number)
  • Biographic details (name and country of birth) can also be used

Volunteers also organize rides, emergency child care, translation help, and immediate assistance when detainees are released or moved to less restrictive settings (prepaid phones, medical appointments, check‑in instructions).

State Policy on Holding ICE Detainees

Vermont renewed its agreement with federal immigration authorities in September 2025 to continue housing immigration detainees in state prisons. Key points of the renewal:

• 13 people were held in Vermont prisons under the contract at renewal
• The state receives $185 per night per detainee
• The updated agreement has no expiration date

State officials say the arrangement allows Vermont to set and monitor standards for safety and medical care. Critics counter that any jail setting is harmful and that open‑ended detention contracts reduce public oversight.

Ongoing concerns raised by lawyers, families, and advocates:

• Access to counsel — Attorneys report trouble scheduling prompt legal visits for clients transferred into the state system on short notice.
• Medical care and transfers — Families say moves between facilities without early notice complicate visits and mail delivery.
• Calls for transparency — Advocates ask the state to publish monthly figures on headcounts, transfers, and medical staffing.

Federal officials note that immigration detention is civil, not criminal, and say facilities are expected to follow national detention standards. Advocates respond that civil status does not lessen the harm of confinement, especially the stress on children when a parent is held far from home.

For mixed‑status families across the United States 🇺🇸, a single detention can ripple through work, school, and housing. Pastors and teachers at the Burlington protest events have urged elected leaders to expand community‑based alternatives such as case management programs and check‑ins instead of jail.

Human Impact and Community Response

Court support work has added a deeply personal dimension to the protests. When a detainee is released on bond or moved to a less restrictive setting, volunteers quickly shift to practical tasks:

1. Arrange a ride or transit home
2. Provide a prepaid phone
3. Set up a medical appointment
4. Explain next steps for check‑ins and court requirements

When a judge denies bond, organizers focus on emotional support: checking in with family members, arranging transport, and offering information before they drive home.

At City Hall Park, speakers share personal stories that underline the movement’s persistence:

• A farmworker who crossed the border at age 15
• An asylum‑seeking mother who learned to call the jail only after three weeks of silence
• A neighbor who began attending weekly actions after meeting a child whose father had been detained

Faith leaders, student groups, and labor organizers amplify these narratives. Local businesses also participate:

• Small employers offer to hold jobs for detained workers
• Businesses contribute to food drives for affected families
• Labor organizers advise documenting hours and injuries when a coworker is removed, to protect wage and compensation claims

Demands and Policy Alternatives

Despite different tactics, protesters maintain a consistent core demand: fewer people in cells and more support in the community.

Advocates propose alternatives such as:

• Electronic check‑ins
• Nonprofit case management
• Community‑based supervision and support programs

They argue these options:

• Keep families together
• Cost less than incarceration
• Improve compliance with court dates

Public officials continue to face pressure for greater transparency and consolidated guidance. Key requests from activists include:

• Regular publication of detention numbers, facility inspections, and incident reports
• Clear, multilingual guidance on:
  • How families can contact a detained relative
  • Scheduling legal calls
  • Requesting medical attention inside a facility
• A single, centralized resource to prevent missed calls and last‑minute scrambles before court

Looking Ahead

As the weekly protests continue, Burlington’s mix of public rallies, courthouse support, and quiet logistical work is likely to shape how residents view immigration enforcement in the coming months. For people walking through City Hall Park, the chants, drums, and handwritten signs are a reminder of the human stakes behind policy numbers: detention contracts, nightly rates, and building square footage.

For families of immigration detainees, the sight of a crowd waiting outside a courtroom door often means something more immediate:

• Someone to call
• A ride home
• The promise that others will be back next week

Core takeaway: persistent public pressure combines with practical community support to both highlight systemic issues and meet urgent needs of impacted families.