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South Burlington Council unanimously adopts resolution condemning surveillance and enforcement practices of ICE and CBP
Summary
After extended drafting, staff review and public comment, the South Burlington City Council unanimously adopted a nonbinding resolution condemning illegal warrantless surveillance and enforcement practices attributed to federal immigration authorities and reaffirming the city's fair‑and‑impartial policing posture.
The South Burlington City Council voted unanimously Feb. 2 to adopt a nonbinding resolution condemning certain surveillance and enforcement practices by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol (BP).
Councilors refined a draft resolution for more than an hour, hearing legal and operational advice from the city attorney and the police chief before taking public comment. Councilor Laurie introduced the draft and led line‑by‑line edits; Councilor Elizabeth Fitzgerald then read and consolidated the document on the council floor. The resolution as adopted objects to illegal warrantless digital surveillance and urges state and federal officials to enforce statutes and constitutional protections. The council also reaffirmed the city’s 2022 declaration of inclusion and its fair and impartial policing policy adopted in 2024.
City staff cautioned councilors about wording that might imply legal findings before investigations conclude. The police chief told the council his department works with federal partners on certain open‑source and emergency searches but urged restraint in drawing conclusions before investigations are finished, saying the council “should withhold judgment until all of the facts can be revealed.” The city attorney recommended narrowing language to target illegal warrantless searches rather than blanket prohibitions tied to zoning or other legal mechanisms.
The meeting included robust public comment. Residents urged the council to call out local facilities and to broaden language to recognize all people harmed; one speaker suggested replacing the phrase “American citizens” with “residents” or “U.S. residents” to be inclusive. Councilors discussed where to place the names of two high‑profile victims; they ultimately retained those names in the earlier "whereas" language while avoiding duplicative mentions in the resolved clauses. After final edits and a motion to adopt the version discussed at the meeting with staff‑led wordsmithing to follow, the chair called the unanimous aye vote.
The resolution is nonbinding; staff will finalize the assembled edits and publish the adopted text and intended distribution. Councilors said they aimed for a statement that signals the city’s values while respecting legal and operational limits of local government.
