Burlington
Welch recounted his recent experience visiting a detention facility along the southwest border and meeting children who had been separated from their parents as a result of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy.
“The idea that the policies of the United States would include separating children and families is something that all Americans object to,” he said.
The discussion then pivoted to leaders of various organizations involved in immigration issues.
Amila Merdanovic, director of the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program and field office, said that executive orders and policy changes from President Trump are “suffocating the program.”
The state initially planned for the arrival of around 100 Syrian refugees in Rutland, but ultimately ended up with only 13. The organization’s Rutland office closed at the end of April.
Merdanovic, a former refugee herself, said Vermont normally welcomes 300 to 350 refugees a year, which includes around 200 employable adults. This year’s number will be around 126 people — a 30 percent drop.
“Our employers in the state our feeling the impact, our landlords are feeling the impact, and our community at large is feeling the impact,” she said. “We take pride in being a welcoming state.”
Thelma Gomez, a member of Migrant Justice, said she estimates one person from her immigrant farmworker community is arrested each week by ICE — Immigration and Customs Enforcement — or U.S. Border Patrol.
“The larger issue of family separation because of immigration policy is something from which we’ve suffered, something which we’ve dealt with for many, many years,” Gomez said.
She said as an immigrant who crossed the border as a child, seeing the current situation hits close to home.
Kelly Mangan, a member of Rights and Democracy VT, said she is frustrated when she frequently hears people question why migrants don’t attempt to immigrate legally.
“It portrays such a profound ignorance about how difficult, and how time consuming and how prohibitively expensive that is,” Mangar said.
She said the U.S. needs to create a system that is fair based on national origin, race and religion. Her husband originally came to the country from Australia on an H1-B visa, which is employer-sponsored for highly skilled professions.
He recently became a naturalized U.S. citizen, which Mangan said cost more than $2,700 in application and processing fees, plus additional costs for hiring an attorney.
Mangan said her husband lived under the constant risk of having to leave the country if he lost his job. There were times when his employer would call at 3 a.m. and ask him to work on something, and he would feel obligated out of fear.
She shared the story of her husband’s experience being “interrogated” by the Department of Homeland Security after an issue arose with his visa renewal.
“You should be told your rights no matter who you are, and your rights should be respected,” Mangan said.
ACLU staff attorney Jay Diaz said his organization has filed many lawsuits against immigration policies enacted under the Trump administration, which have resulted in an injunction against family separation and an order for the reuniting of families.
Haley Pero, an outreach specialist for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Sanders is working hard with the two other members of Vermont’s congressional delegation to combat the administration’s policies.