Statement on Wilmer Chavarria’s Detention
Wilmer Chavarria’s Detention in Houston: A Call for Accountability and Justice
On July 22, 2025, Winooski School District Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria—a proud U.S. citizen of color—was detained and questioned by federal agents for four and a half hours at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Despite holding valid travel documents and a Global Entry pass, he was neither told why he was being held nor given any explanation when his pass was subsequently revoked by email. Read VAAP’s comments to Vermont Public here.
A Pattern of “National Security” Overreach
Wilmer’s experience is not an isolated incident. Across the country, the Department of Homeland Security has increasingly cloaked administrative discrimination in the language of “national security,” legitimizing actions that would otherwise be unlawful. From selective profiling to unauthorized searches, these practices erode the constitutional safeguards designed to protect every person in this country—citizen or noncitizen alike.
“No one—especially not a U.S. citizen—should face such treatment at the hands of their government,”
—Winooski School Board statement
The Winooski School Board’s call for a full investigation is an important first step. But ensuring meaningful accountability requires sustained public pressure: challenging each unlawful detention through litigation, building the pool of trained immigration attorneys in Vermont, and advocating for systemic reform.
Confronting a Broken Immigration System
My decade of practice and education in immigration law has shown me that the system itself is rooted in historical bigotry and xenophobia. The problem predates the current administration, but unchecked executive power has accelerated its harms:
Workforce Exploitation: Guest-worker programs that force migrants into low‑wage labor with limited protections.
Ideological Repression: Targeting based on national origin or political beliefs under the guise of security.
Consolidation of Power: Eroding judicial and legislative checks on executive actions.
This moment of heightened awareness must spur us to push for meaningful, lasting change: rigorous congressional oversight, transparent rulemaking, and robust legal representation for everyone facing federal detention or removal proceedings.
How You Can Help
Support VAAP’s Legal Services & Pro Bono Coordination. We are expanding Vermont’s immigration attorney pool so that every case of federal overreach can be met with skilled advocacy.
Advocate for Legislative Reform. Urge your federal representatives to strengthen CBP/ICE accountability measures, fund DOJ Immigration Judge backlogs, and codify clear standards for lawful border operations.
Stay Informed & “Know Your Rights.” Read the ACLU’s border‑crossing guidance: ACLU Know Your Rights. Visit the Vermont Attorney General’s “Know Your Rights” page: VT AGO Resources.
Document & Report Abuses. If you or someone you know experiences an ICE raid or unlawful detention, please report it anonymously here: VAAP ICE Raid Hotline »
Practical Advice for Travelers
Based on widely accepted best practices—and my own recent border‑crossing experience shared on social media before and after crossing back into the U.S. from Canada—here are key steps to reduce risks and assert your rights:
Stay calm and have documents in plain view.
Limit voluntary disclosure—answer questions honestly but concisely; you have the right to remain silent on unrelated inquiries.
Clarify your status: Ask whether you are free to go or under detention, and whether an officer has a warrant.
Request counsel if you feel your rights are at risk.
Document the encounter: Write down what you saw, heard, and felt. Store that information safely.
Alert a trusted contact: Let someone with legal status know your travel plans and whom to call if you don’t check in.
As the National Immigration Litigation Alliance reminds us: “Don’t concede—but don’t impede.”
Wilmer’s courage in speaking out amid personal uncertainty exemplifies the collective struggle for migrant justice. His leadership reminds us that demanding accountability is both a legal and moral imperative. Let us honor his experience by redoubling our commitment: growing Vermont’s legal capacity, challenging overreach, and reforming a system too long steeped in discrimination.
