Chittenden Sheriff Department and Border Patrol team up to deport Vermont farmworker

For years, Alex Jimenez worked on dairy farms in Franklin County, Vermont. On July 19th, he was the passenger in a car driving to his farm. Three weeks later, Alex has been deported to Mexico, separated from his partner and family members in Vermont.

Alex’s deportation is the result of Chittenden County Sheriff Deputy Scott Costella’s decision to turn a routine traffic stop into an immigration detention. After pulling over the car for lack of a front license plate, Costella requested Border Patrol’s presence at the stop then aided in the federal agents’ detention of Alex, violating Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.

Following the traffic stop, and directly after speaking with Alex and the driver, Costella retrieved his personal cellphone from his cruiser and texted the location of the stop to a group of Border Patrol agents, writing: “Need one of you.”

Fifteen minutes later, two Border Patrol agents arrived on the scene and interrogated Alex and the driver. As federal officers began to detain Jimenez, Costella went to their aid, holding Alex as the agents handcuffed and led him away. He then turned off his body camera and appears to have conversed with agents for the next ten minutes. After helping them detain Alex, Costella offered to buy the Border Patrol agents lunch at Subway.

Alex Jimenez was held in ICE detention in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Louisiana for three weeks before being deported to Mexico. His detention and deportation leave him separated from his partner and family members who remain in Vermont.

Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy (FIPP) restricts information sharing and collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Specifically, the policy prohibits sharing information such as an individual’s whereabouts and vehicle description “unless there is justification on the grounds of public safety or officer safety (articulable risk or [sic] physical injury to subject, officer, or third party), and state and local authorities are unable to provide urgent assistance in time.”

After learning of the incident, Migrant Justice submitted a public records request to the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office. In response, Costella drafted a statement detailing his actions. Following legal review, the phrase “officer safety” was added to the statement as the reason why he called Border Patrol, in apparent reference to the FIPP provision. 

Costella provided no evidence as to why he feared physical injury from Alex and the driver, writing only that he was “unsure how they would react.” Costella does not write why, if he feared for his safety, he texted Border Patrol agents from his cellphone rather than first requesting available backup from state or local authorities, as the policy requires. The statement also incorrectly implies that Costella had not seen the vehicle occupants prior to contacting Border Patrol.

After receiving Migrant Justice’s records request, Chittenden County Sheriff Dan Gamelin submitted a complaint to the Vermont Criminal Justice Council’s Professional Regulation Subcommittee regarding Sgt. Costella’s possible policy violations. In the complaint, Sheriff Gamelin states that his office “is conducting an internal review into the matter to determine if the actions taken during the reported incident were consistent with the agency’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.”

This is not the first time that the Chittenden County Sheriff Office has been investigated for collaborating with federal immigration agencies. In 2023, the Office paid a $25,000 settlement to Alex Ulloa after a deputy called Border Patrol to the scene of a 2019 traffic stop, resulting in Mr. Ulloa’s deportation. In that instance, the Sheriff’s Office defended the deputy’s actions and failed to hold the officer accountable in its internal investigation.

Take action now to hold the Sheriff’s Office accountable. Demand justice for Alex and accountability for the violation of the Fair and Impartial Policing Policy! 

Call Sheriff Gamelin at 802-863-7375 to say: Justice for Alex Jimenez! Enforce the FIPP! Hold Sergeant Costella accountable!

Text exchange between Chittenden County Sheriff Deputy Costella and two Border Patrol agents saved as contacts in his phone

Border Patrol agents peer inside the car after being called to the scene by Costella

Agents point at Alex Jimenez

Agents tell Alex to exit the vehicle

Agents pull Alex out of the car as he repeats: “Despacio, despacio [Slowly, slowly]”

Costella walks towards Border Patrol agents as they detain Alex

Costella aids the agents as they handcuff Alex

Bodycam footage shows Costella putting his hand on Alex as he is being detained

Border Patrol agents walk away with Alex in handcuffs

As one agent drives away with Alex in the Border Patrol cruiser, Costella turns off his bodycam and remains talking with the other agent for ten minutes. Costella later offers to buy them lunch