Vermonters Mobilize With Rally and Sit-In to Demand End to ICE and CBP Abuses

On May 8, the ICE Out Vermont Alliance—a coalition of more than 40 community, religious, and activist organizations—will lead a powerful statewide rally and nonviolent sit-in in St. Albans targeting Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The protest aims to expose and halt what the coalition calls illegal and unconstitutional practices by these agencies, including warrantless arrests, excessive force, and unlawful surveillance.

The day begins at noon with a rally in Taylor Park featuring speakers from Migrant Justice, faith leaders, and Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak. Artistic performances by Bread and Puppet Theatre and musical acts like the Good Trouble Street Choir will amplify the message. Following the rally, trained activists will stage a sit-in at the CBP office to disrupt their operations and demand an end to abuses.

Rev. Lise Sparrow, a retired pastor and spokesperson for the Vermont United Church of Christ’s Justice and Witness Ministries Committee, condemned ICE and CBP as law enforcement agencies “violating the law and our constitution” through illegal searches, seizures, and arrests without judicial warrants.

The coalition’s focus on CBP is no accident. In 2025, CBP accounted for nearly 1,000 detentions in Vermont—over half the state’s total—which led to the deportation of more than 400 immigrants. These actions have created a climate of fear and suffering among immigrant communities, often separating families and subjecting detainees to inhumane conditions far from their homes.

The ICE Out Vermont Alliance has formally notified ICE and CBP of the planned sit-in and requested meetings to discuss their demands, which include halting warrantless arrests, ending excessive force, ensuring access to legal counsel, and improving detention conditions. The coalition has also coordinated with local law enforcement to ensure the protest remains peaceful.

Leo Schiff, a rally organizer from Brattleboro, emphasized the protest’s solidarity with the tens of thousands of immigrants detained and deported nationwide. “We are affirming their human right to safety and a viable life,” he said.

This mobilization is part of a broader resistance against the Trump administration’s expansion of a for-profit immigration detention system and unchecked enforcement practices that trample constitutional rights. As ICE and CBP continue to operate with impunity, grassroots coalitions like ICE Out Vermont are stepping up to demand transparency, accountability, and justice.

For more information and to see the full list of supporting organizations, visit iceoutvt.org.