Passionate Speech During St. Johnsbury's Ice Ordinance Proposal

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Created on Friday, 08 May 2026 05:55
Written by Asher Ballantine

St. Johnsbury - At last week’s select board meeting, a concerned St. Johnsbury resident delivered an impassioned speech regarding a proposed ordinance to adjust how the local police force operates in relation to ICE.

 

“I want you all to remember,” the resident began. “As you think about this issue... what's going on in America right now? Today, concentration camps are on our soil. Rounding up indiscriminately."

The speaker continued, "And by the way, statistically, 60 to 70% of these people they're rounding up are American citizens. They're not criminals. They're not the worst of the worst... they're not slimeballs. They are American citizens being thrown into concentration camps."

“Please try to imagine what that would be like. My father described that to me, and I have never forgotten those images.”

Many residents spoke at the meeting to encourage the town to avoid working with ICE whenever possible. This rhetoric isn’t new to St. Johnsbury, which has already seen two separate ICE-related protests within the year.

While the town didn’t reach a decision at the meeting, the select board is researching ways to potentially adopt a resolution similar to one passed by the South Burlington City Council, which condemns the practices and operations of ICE and Border Patrol.