Three Actions You Can Take This Week
Tune into the State House tomorrow 3/19
Join VPIRG, among other CVRAN partners, at the State House (or online) this Thursday (3/19) at 9AM for an urgent ICE action! The Senate Committee on Judiciary will be hosting a public hearing in response to South Burlington ICE operations.
To attend in Room 11 of the State House on Thursday, please RSVP with VPIRG so they can keep you updated on details. (And you’ll want to arrive early to secure your seat in the room.) If you’re not able to make it to the State House, you can still tune into the livestream on the Senate Judiciary YouTube channel.
5 key pieces of legislation that CVRAN is following this session (with more to come!) in partnership with VPIRG, ACLU of VT, Migrant Justice, and others:
- S.208 – An act relating to standards for law enforcement identification
- S.209 – An act relating to prohibiting civil arrest in sensitive locations
- H.849 – An act relating to a civil action for damages for deprivation of federal constitutional rights by any government official
- S.227 – An act relating to creating immigration protocols in Vermont schools
- H.742 – An act relating to providing legal representation in federal immigration proceedings
S.208 and S.209 both passed out of the Senate with a 27-2 vote and headed to the House in early February. We are also happy to report that bills H.849 and S.227 have crossed over to the Senate prior to the mid-session deadline.
Please consider contacting local representatives to request that H.742, sponsored by Rep Leonora Dodge, get a hearing ASAP. This is a bill that would guarantee legal counsel be provided to detainees in federal immigration proceedings in the state of Vermont. We’re asking folks to call members of the House Committee on Judiciary:
- Rep. Martin LaLonde, Chair
- Rep. Thomas Burditt, Vice Chair
- Rep. Kevin “Coach” Christie, Ranking Member
- Rep. Angela Arsenault
- Rep. Karen Dolan
- Rep. Ian Goodnow
- Rep. Kenneth Goslant, Clerk
- Rep. Zachary Harvey
- Rep. Alicia Malay
- Rep. Thomas Oliver
- Rep. Barbara Rachelson
A potential script for this call: “I am calling members of the House Judiciary to help get a hearing for H.742 recently introduced by Rep. Leonora Dodge. This bill will have an enormous impact on immigrant Vermonters facing federal immigration proceedings in Vermont, who are not currently guaranteed the right to representation of their civil case. This is an equity and human rights issue that the Vermont legislature must act on. Please do all that you can to support Rep Dodge’s bill and get it a hearing as soon as possible.“
Rep. Dodge’s $400K immigration appropriations request
In addition to the above bills, please consider messaging your representatives and the members of the House Committee on Appropriations to voice your support for Rep Leonora Dodge’s proposed $400,000 appropriation for legal services for immigrant Vermonters.
Connect with your legislator HERE – at this link find a sample script, but legislators appreciate personalized outreach – feel free to customize it to fit your voice.
Or Call/email your state rep and senator and use this potential script: “Please support sustained FY27 funding ($400,000) for immigration detention defense so detained Vermont residents have access to counsel. We all deserve to live under the rule of law, not the rule of fear.”
Or Call/email members of the House Appropriations Committee:
- Rep. Robin Scheu, Chair
- Rep. Martha Feltus, Vice Chair
- Rep. Tiffany Bluemle, Ranking Member
- Rep. Eileen Dickinson
- Rep. John Kascenska
- Rep. Wayne Laroche
- Rep. Michael Mrowicki
- Rep. Michael Nigro
- Rep. Trevor Squirrell, Clerk
- Rep. Thomas Stevens
- Rep. David Yacovone