Vermont Asylum Assistance Project is a legal services and technical assistance organization that exists to mentor no-cost and low-cost immigration lawyers and legal workers; educate and serve immigrants and community members; maximize impact across sectors; and advocate to protect immigrants’ rights. www.vaapvt.org.
TAKE ACTION NOW! ⚠️ As reported by the Boston Globe, two longtime VAAP colleagues and Migrant Justice leaders were detained by CBP agents in Vermont on Saturday, June 14thwhile delivering food to neighbors in Franklin County.
Jose Ignacio “Nacho” De La Cruz was driving with his stepdaughter Heidi Perez, recent Milton High School grad, when CBP pulled them over without cause. As Nacho and Heidi exercised their Fourth Amendment rights, CBP agents smashed their car window and violently detained the two community leaders. Both are now being held in Vermont DOC facilities and at risk of imminent deportation.
Attorneys from VAAP and partner organizations mobilized over the weekend to file legal petitions to minimize their prolongued detention and prevent ICE from transferring them unnecessarily out of state. Already the District of Vermont has ruled in Nacho's and Heidi's favor by issuing Temporary Restraining Orders against ICE, and we're using this momentum to get additional attorneys trained quickly to join the cause.
"Habeas Litigation to Prevent ICE Transfers and Prolongued Detention"
Presented by VAAP, ACLU VT, and the Center for Justice Reform Clinic. THIS Friday June 20 from 1-2:30PM.
126 College Street or Online (Link with RSVP)
1.0 MCLE.
In response to the recent arrests of Nacho and Heidi and the need for immediate legal action this weekend, VAAP, ACLU VT, and CJRC are convening an emergency CLE this week to mobilize the legal community around federal habeas corpus litigation as a strategic tool to prevent unnecessary ICE transfers, keep Vermont residents local, and increase their likelihood of release from detention pending removal proceedings. This training is new ground for us—we’ve never led this before and are going to learn by doing, alongisde you. We are especially eager to crowdsource expertise and welcome seasoned practitioners willing to co-create resources and shape training materials in real time.
Training Overview:
Explore how habeas litigation in the District of Vermont can challenge unjust ICE detention and isolation practices
Share tools to protect access to counsel and preserve local jurisdiction for detained Vermonters.
Build off the successful release efforts in the cases of Mohsen and Rumeysa, and scale this model as a coordinated defense strategy.
Co-presenters will include attorneys from VAAP, ACLU VT, and the Center for Justice Reform Clinic. Training materials are in active development in concert with partners from Montroll Oettinger Barquist, Federal Defenders, Vermont Afghan Alliance, and the VT Defender General’s Office Appellate Division.
Who should attend: Any Vermont attorneys or legal professionals ready to take action. No prior immigration experience required. Just bring your commitment and curiosity. Let’s build something new together—urgently, collaboratively, and with the tools we have.
Missed out Vermont Bar Association trainings this month? The recordings and materials are available on demand on vtbar.org.
Not a VBA member? A follow-up bond training is coming soon for FREE hosted at Vermont Legal Aid. Coming soon!
FOR COMMUNITIES
Vermont Language Justice Project launched a free multilingual app. Help us get it onto the phones of our immigrant community members!
FOR EVERYONE
Every Tuesday morningVAAP hosts virtual immigration case rounds for two hours, focusing the first hour on legal service providers and lay service providers. Come when you can and leave when you need. No RSVP - just come prepared to introduce yourself as well as an anonymized version of your case/project questions for judgment-free and action-oriented group discussion. We can't keep up with ad hoc consult requests, so please save your questions and come to VAAP's weekly case rounds instead!
