Senator Peter Welch Condemns ICE Detentions of Workers in Vermont
U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) recently visited five individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans, Vermont. Following his visit, Senator Welch released a video condemning the detentions, stating that he met three farmworkers, a truck driver, and a roofer, none of whom had been convicted of a crime. He characterized these actions as a "mass roundup" that is "wrong and cruel," emphasizing that the detained individuals are working people with families who contribute to Vermont's farms, communities, and construction industry. This comes amidst a significant increase in ICE detentions in Vermont, with 117 detentions by the end of July, compared to 34 in all of 2025, according to federal data. The majority of those detained, 85%, had no criminal convictions. Workers in the roofing and construction sectors have been particularly targeted, with at least 30 detentions occurring at worksite raids and traffic stops this year.