Progressives call on Scott to cut ties with ICE
For Immediate Release
April 16th, 2025
Contact:
Anthony Pollina
Chair, Vermont Progressive Party
apollinavt@gmail.com
Progressives call on Scott to cut ties with ICE
Montpelier, VT. - The Vermont Progressive Party issued the following statement following the abduction of Mohsen Mahdawi by ICE agents.
“The Vermont Progressive Party is demanding Governor Phil Scott to stand up in support of Mohsen Mahdawi and protect Vermonters from the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration.
“It’s time for the Governor to take a stand. Mahdawi, a lawful permanent resident of the United States and resident of Vermont was taken away by men wearing masks and hoods in unmarked cars when he arrived for a citizen interview with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We now believe Mahdawi is in the St. Albans Correctional Facility. His crime appears to be speaking out against the genocide in Gaza. This is the kind of ‘disappearance’ that has been common in authoritarian countries run by dictators.
“Vermont has an agreement to house detained individuals, for which we are paid $180 a night. We appreciate those Vermont state senators and others who are calling for cancelling the detainees agreement with ICE, but cancelling the agreement is the least we can do.
“Legislators and the Governor should immediately pass legislation putting a stop to this madness before it takes root in Vermont. Vermont should not be cooperating with and taking money from an authoritarian regime which sends people with masks to pluck innocent people away without due process or evidence of a crime being committed.
“At this point, silence is complicity, and Governor Scott so far is largely silent, having issued a weak statement with no proposed action.
“We will not tolerate the Governor offering the excuse that this is a federal issue best left to federal officials.
“We need to know what the Governor is doing and will do to protect the rights and lives of Vermonters.
“The governor likes to talk about helping the most vulnerable. When it comes to disappearing people and losing our constitutional rights we are all most vulnerable.”
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