Press release: Max to be freed from immigration detention!

Posted Thu, 05/15/2025 - 12:34pm

Farmworker to be freed from immigration detention: Community celebrates ruling while continuing to fight for others’ release

Press Contacts

Burlington, VT - An immigration judge in Chelmsford, MA has ordered the release of one of the detained Vermont farmworkers, Diblaim Maximo Sargento-Morales. The judge set bond for Mr. Sargento-Morales at $1,500, the lowest possible amount. 

Dozens of farmworker community members and allies attending the virtual hearing from the Migrant Justice office in Vermont celebrated the ruling. Mr. Sargento-Morales, known to friends as Max, will likely be released and return to Vermont in the coming days. 

In the related cases of Arbey Lopez-Lopez and Jose Edilberto Molina-Aguilar, a separate immigration judge declined to hear motions for their release on bond. The bond motion for Mr. Lopez-Lopez will be heard on Monday 5/19 in Chelmsford Immigration Court. 

Enrique Mesa, attorney for Mr. Lopez-Lopez provided the following statement: “What happened today was procedural. The Immigration Judge simply needed more time to review the comprehensive bond motion we submitted, which included over 100 pages of supporting documents—among them letters from community leaders, U.S. Senators, and Vermont state officials all urging Arbey’s release. We remain hopeful and resolute. We will return to court to continue the fight to reunite Arbey with his 5-year-old daughter and the community. His case has inspired overwhelming support, and we are grateful for every voice standing beside him.”

In Mr. Molina-Aguilar’s case, a judge ruled that the bond motion should be heard in Texas, where he is currently being detained. Mr. Molina-Aguilar’s legal counsel – Brett Stokes of the Center for Justice Reform at Vermont Law and Graduate School – objected to this decision, noting that his client was detained in Vermont and that the motion was filed with the court while he remained in detention in Vermont.

Attorney Stokes provided the following statement: “While the legal team and the detained compas are thrilled regarding the decision granting Max the ability to be liberated from immigration detention, justice was delayed in the case of Jose based on an arbitrary and incorrect interpretation of an immigration judges' jurisdiction to hear the cases before the court today. Justice delayed is justice denied. Nevertheless, we remain undeterred and will keep fighting for the release of Jose, Adrian, and Jesus.”

Another farmworker detained in the Border Patrol arrest in Franklin County, VT – Juan Javier Rodriguez-Gomez – was removed to Mexico under the “expedited removal” procedure already used to deport Luis Enrique Gomez-Aguilar, Urillas Sargento, and Dani Alvarez-Perez. Remaining farmworkers Jesus Mendez Hernandez and Adrian Zunun-Joachin are held in detention at the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center in Texas awaiting bond hearings.

Rossy Alfaro, spokesperson with Migrant Justice, said: “We’re excited to see Max back home very soon. At the same time, we are disappointed in the judge’s decision to postpone the other two hearings. This delay will only cause more harm to José and Arbey, and their community here in Vermont. We remain hopeful that all the detained members of our community will soon be freed.”