Fallout continues over the actions of law enforcement and protesters during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in South Burlington last month. The city council debated on Monday whether a task force should be formed to review the incident.
On March 11, ICE agents forcefully entered a house on Dorset Street in South Burlington to detain a migrant. Three individuals were taken and the action triggered a violent confrontation with protesters who had gathered and surrounded the home. Controversy continues to swirl as police agencies say they were there to protect the public, but witnesses say police initiated the violence and violated the state’s Fair and Impartial Policing policy. Community distrust spiked when it was later revealed that ICE agents had misidentified the suspect and none of those detained were on the warrant.
At their meeting Monday night, South Burlington city councilors debated whether to create a task force or similar group to review what happened. Councilor Laurie Smith says it is incumbent upon the city to take a leading role to heal and reunify the community. He drafted a letter to residents to gauge support for a panel that says in part “I believe that by convening a task force, initially a small group of community partners ..... we can build a structure and action plan to promote effective, safe, nonviolent resistance to future incursions by ICE and rebuild ... trust.”
“What I was bringing forward isn’t the idea of a full council engagement. It’s the council taking leadership to invite something to happen within the public. How do we create a format for people to be able to talk together and get ready for the next time?”
Councilor Beth Zigmund agreed that some sort of community discussion is needed, but a trial meeting might be the best first step.
“I have some questions about how a formal body would be assembled to deal with this problem. So I'd be in favor of kind of an informal type of discussion or a very limited sort of trial discussion. We need to get some people together, I don't know who that would be, and just really hear each other, not just talk at each other, which is all we've been really given the opportunity to do at this point
Councilors discussed how a task force would be structured and whether or not city officials should be included if one is formed.
Councilor Andrew Chalnick agrees with the goals and intent, but said more incremental steps should be taken. He would like councilors to talk to the police chief first and then schedule a similar meeting with local advocates Migrant Justice.
“I don't want a charged atmosphere. I want a neighbor-to-neighbor discussion and out of that conversation, if it goes well, begin to answer some of the questions like how would this work going forward if we do have a larger meeting. But I think without first having that that kind of connection and discussion, those further conversations are on less solid footing and less likely to succeed.
During public comment, South Burlington resident Julie Lowell told city leaders that action is urgent.
“We need this meeting sooner than later. I very much encourage you to have a public conversation too. Please act with urgency on this because our community is very concerned and very nervous for our neighbors and ourselves.”
Resident Chris Gile said it’s good that the city is trying to heal the community divide the ICE raid created.
“But I don't know if we can heal this divide while the knife is still in us. We have filmed instances of police hurting people. Are we going to hold any of them accountable? The legitimacy you want is not going to come unless the City Council side is more than just talk.”
The council decided to meet with law enforcement at their April 20 meeting during a review of the South Burlington Police Department’s after-action report. An invitation will also be extended to advocate groups Migrant Justice and Indivisible.
An after-action report is also pending from the Vermont State Police.
