In a front page story in today’s Addison Independent, we highlight the effort of area residents to support Addison County’s immigrant community through “Signs of Solidarity.” That initiative brings awareness of the civil and legal rights of employers and their immigrant employees to stave off illegal requests or actions by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents. Under Trump, ICE forces have been greatly expanded and instructed to use what many Americans are describing (and showing through video) as brutal, and seemingly illegal, tactics to arrest, question and deport as many immigrants as possible — often without due process.

ANGELO LYNN

Vermont has witnessed such arrests, but nothing compared to what’s been happening in the nation’s larger Democratic-led cities and in blue states like Minnesota — the current hot spot of Trump’s dictatorial ire.

The purpose of “Signs for Solidarity” is to counter the fear ICE imposes on the immigrant community. And, as area doctor Jack Mayer says, don’t be fooled that ICE isn’t actively detaining members of our communities today, noting that over 100 Vermonters were detained by ICE officers in 2025 with several individuals being arrested in their workplace.

“I think we’re going to see more of this,” Mayer said. “Even though probably most Vermonters would say, ‘Oh, well ICE is not here,’ they are here, and they’re becoming more emboldened as they’re recruiting more and more ICE agents.”

While being prepared is part of the effort’s focus, another aspect is to encourage area businesses to designate a safe space inside their offices where immigrant employees could be if ICE comes to a business unannounced and without a judicial warrant. Such knowledge, Mayer said, “will just give people more of a sense of what is legal and what are the boundaries of ICE’s jurisdiction.”

To that end, area businesses are invited to learn more about “Signs of Solidarity” and to help make Addison County’s immigrant community “feel safe and welcome,” Mayer said. Importantly, the more businesses that sign up, the safer (united in solidarity) everyone in the community is.

Sadly, safety is a valid concern. Today, the number of people detained in ICE facilities stands at 68,000-plus as of last month — an infamous record only Trump could be proud of. Moreover, ICE-inflicted unrest in Minneapolis recently resulted in ICE officer Jonathan Ross shooting and killing Renee Good at point-blank range when she attempted, unarmed and without any criminal reason for the officer to detain her, to drive away from him in her car. What’s almost worse, is that the U.S. Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi is refusing to pursue any investigation of the officer’s conduct (as is common with any other police action), while Trump — with his dictatorial impulse carried to an extreme — suggested that Good’s “bad attitude” was reason enough to be killed. Combined it’s a shocking decline of our democracy, and a rapid move toward a police state.

By being prepared, Vermonters can hopefully avoid the worst of ICE’s tendency to use excessive force in what are often illegal ways, while offering support to a valued part of our communities. More information about the initiative can be found by emailing [email protected].

Angelo Lynn