Sheriff Deputy under investigation for deportation of Vermont farmworker
Posted Thu, 09/24/2026 - 4:51pm
Detentions and deportations continue to have a devastating impact on immigrant communities across Vermont and around the country. Through our emergency hotline and robust detention support work, Migrant Justice operates as the principal first responder when a community member is snatched off the street and thrown into detention by the rogue federal agents patrolling our state.
While the expansion of the machinery of mass deportation in much of the country is aided by the collusion of local police, Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy – won and maintained through years of dedicated and courageous organizing – acts as a barrier between local law enforcement and federal deportation agencies. When officers violate that policy, we must speak out loudly to demand accountability and ensure that such violations are not repeated.
In August, Migrant Justice exposed the role of the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office in the detention and deportation of local farmworker Alex Jimenez. A deputy pulled over Alex on a routine traffic stop, texted Border Patrol agents to come to the scene, and aided them in pulling Alex out of the car and detaining him.
The collaboration between a local cop and federal agents has been big news in Vermont and beyond, and has resulted in swift denunciations. Everyone from the Chittenden County Sheriff to the Governor has unequivocally called out the deputy’s actions as a violation of the Fair and Impartial Policing Policy. The incident has resulted in multiple, ongoing investigations.
The detention of Alex Jimenez has also shined a light on a little-known federal program: Operation Stonegarden. Through Stonegarden, local police are paid overtime shifts to conduct patrols under the authority of Customs and Border Protection. Wearing their own uniforms and driving local agency vehicles, officers act under direct Border Patrol supervision.
The Chittenden County deputy was working a Stonegarden shift at the time he detained Alex, one of over 100 shifts he took since the start of 2025. While lawmakers were quick to distance themselves from the deputy’s actions, they have doubled down on their support for Stonegarden. This inconsistency is as illogical as it is unacceptable.
We call on lawmakers to declare Operation Stonegarden fundamentally incompatible with the Fair and Impartial Policing Policy and to end the state’s participation in the program.
Meanwhile, the fight against deportation continues. ICE and Border Patrol are indiscriminately rounding up immigrants through traffic stops, worksite raids, and community arrests. A recent raid resulting in the detention of two Ecuadorean roofers started when an ICE agent claimed he thought it was “suspicious” when he observed the Latino workers wearing “hoods and neck coverings working on a roof,” an almost comically flimsy pretext for racial profiling.
These detentions, however, are not the end of the story. When ICE attacks, communities stand up and fight back. Migrant Justice coordinates thousands of rapid response volunteers around the state to take action following detentions. People show up to protect their neighbors, raise money to support legal defense, and demand the release of detained community members.
These actions get results. After five construction workers were detained in August in Londonderry, the community sprang into action. All five workers have since been released. Days ago, Peter, Juan, Jose, Marcelo, and Julio joined a Migrant Justice assembly to share their experience of detention and liberation and to be welcomed back into their community with open arms.
The members of the Londonderry 5 shared a video message following their release:
“We were detained by ICE last month. We felt lost because we had no one to turn to. But thanks to the support of Migrant Justice, the whole community here in Vermont, and God, we’re now home with our friends and family. We know what happened was unjust. We all came here for a better future, leaving behind our families and our homes. We’re so grateful to the community for sticking with us. We pray that you don’t lose heart. Keep pushing! And to all the other immigrants like us: you are not alone. We now know that there’s a strong organization supporting us and making us feel at home. Stay strong! We are not alone!”
These victories, however, come at a cost. Over the past month, the Vermont Freedom Fund has paid out over $50,000 in immigration bonds to reunite Vermonters with their families and community. This essential lifeline for immigrant families is nearly depleted.