The Mayor of Burlington has signed an executive order detailing how Vermont’s largest city will approach U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the city.
Following introductory remarks Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak sat down this morning tto sign the executive order titled: “Affirming Our Commitment to Preparedness, Due Process, and Community Trust: City of Burlington Response to Federal Immigration Enforcement Activity.”
The Progressive said recent violent enforcement actions by ICE agents have underscored how federal immigration enforcement can escalate, raising urgent questions.
“Residents are asking could this happen here and if it did would our city be prepared? Today we are taking clear, lawful and responsible action to answer these questions.”
The executive order clarifies the city’s responsibilities and policies related to federal immigration enforcement.
Mulvaney-Stanak says the document ensures that Burlington is prepared if federal immigration enforcement activities increase in ways that affect community safety.
“First this order directs our administration to update and strengthen the city’s local emergency management plan in preparation for any escalated federal immigration enforcement activity that could impact community safety. Second, this executive order clarifies the role of the Burlington Police Department. Consistent with Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy, BPD will not engage or assist with civil immigration enforcement. City resources, personnel, property and data will not be used to support civil federal immigration enforcement.”
The executive order requires that if any ICE enforcement actions occur in the city, the Burlington Police Department’s Officer in Charge must respond in a non-interfering manner, document what is occurring, preserve evidence and assure emergency medical care is provided if needed.
The agenda for tonight’s council meeting meeting includes a resolution sponsored by all 12 councilors that “formally opposes ICE activities within Burlington and the State of Vermont." The resolution objects to the use of any facility within the city or state by ICE and urges the state legislature to pass legislation to hold ICE and federal agents accountable for any violations of the law. Ward 5 Democrat and City Council President Ben Traverse says some of the steps in the mayor’s executive order are exactly what the resolution calls for.
“A number of city council leaders and I have been working with the mayor’s office in recent weeks on the issue of preparedness in the event there were expanded immigration enforcement efforts here in the Burlington area. I’ve been working with my Progressive colleagues on the city council on getting to a resolution that has the, I would say somewhat rare, co-sponsorship of the full city council on it. So, we’ve been working on this for a couple of weeks. I learned of the mayor’s executive order yesterday. But I do think the steps that it’s taking are exactly aligned with the kind of steps that the resolution are asking for.”
Traverse says it’s hard to believe the city has to prepare and be on the defense for potential federal actions in the city.
“We’ve seen expanded ICE operations as close as Maine. Unfortunately, if you look at a map of areas around the country where we’ve seen surges of ICE activity, they seem to follow political boundaries more than they follow actual need for immigration enforcement. And I have some concerns that there’s some political retribution component here. While we don’t currently have any information before us indicating that they’re planning on expanded operations here in Burlington, it would be a mistake for us to not put the work in now to be prepared.”
Mulvaney-Stanak agreed that preparation is key to keeping the public safe if ICE does increase activity in the area.
“I think the strategies and the tactics from the federal government will continue to evolve, so we don’t know what anything would look like here in Burlington. But we’re particularly prepared now, rather than standing this up when we are in the middle of a crisis.”
WAMC has requested a response from Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding the city’s actions.
