In one of Vermont’s largest immigration enforcement actions in recent memory, eight undocumented farmworkers were arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Pleasant Valley Farms in Berkshire, a community near the Canadian border. The workers were detained on April 21 and transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for deportation proceedings.
The individuals arrested were:
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Jesus Mendez Hernandez, 25
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Juan Javier Rodriguez-Gomez, 41
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Luis Enrique Gomez-Aguilar, 28
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Urillas Sargento, 32
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Diblaim Maximo Sargento-Morales, 30
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Adrian Zunun-Joachin, 22
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Jose Edilberto Molina-Aguilar, 37
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Dani Alvarez-Perez, 22
The arrests followed a report from a local resident who claimed to see two individuals with backpacks crossing a wooded area near the farm. CBP agents responded and, during their search, located and apprehended the eight workers, all of whom were living in the same trailer.
None of the farmworkers were criminally charged. Migrant Justice, a Vermont-based advocacy organization, is working to secure legal counsel, noting that many of the detainees may qualify for bond or other forms of legal relief. One individual is currently in the process of seeking asylum.
The raid has drawn widespread condemnation from state officials. Governor Phil Scott emphasized the essential role migrant workers play in Vermont’s dairy industry and called for long-overdue immigration reform. Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts stressed that more than half of Vermont’s dairy labor force consists of migrant workers, warning of the industry’s dependence on their contributions.
Advocates, community members, and lawmakers are rallying in support of the detained workers while pushing for stronger protections and humane immigration policies. The eight individuals remain in custody at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans as legal proceedings begin.
