📣 Be Heard on Vermont’s Act 29, Office of New Americans Study Committee. This year, Vermont passed Act 29, creating a Study Committee to design a statewide Office of New Americans equivalent. The Office would coordinate services for all foreign-born people and mixed-status families across Vermont—rather than distinguishing politicized subpopulations at risk of prejudicing immigrant inclusion based on status, country of origin, languages spoken, county of evidence, or other protected grounds.

Immigrants and the organizations that represent and serve them are too often left out of policymaking. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to make sure Vermont’s systems reflect the needs and voices of foreign-born Vermonters. VAAP supports Act 29 because it centers equity, strengthens communities, and invites systems-level accountability and coordination mechanisms for systems-wide problem solving. How to get involved:

• Join the public forums online and speak directly to the Committee. Each meeting will include a public comments section and anyone can ask to speak.

• Share written comments. Share them directly with the State Refugee Office, which is convening the Committee, at tracy.dolan@vermont.gov, or send them to VAAP at info@vaapvt.org so we can include them in our testimony.

First meeting is Friday, August 29, 2025 at11:00AM (virtual). Join the meeting and access meeting materials here. Let’s raise our voices together for state-level leadership on immigration justice in Vermont.