Immigration

In the new ensemble, immigrants living in Vermont share original compositions and global musical traditions.

The high-profile case of Vermont pastor and asylum seeker Steven Tendo highlights how advocating for immigrant rights has become more of a focus for some New England faith communities and their leaders in the last year.

Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George has declined to file trespassing charges against about a dozen protesters arrested at an office building in Williston that houses an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

A federal judge on Friday ordered the release of Steven Tendo, a Vermont resident and asylum-seeker who was detained in a New Hampshire prison for more than two weeks.

The judge ruled that the government failed to authenticate a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that was used as the basis for the deportation proceedings against Mahdawi, a pro-Palestinian activist who was detained for two weeks in a Vermont prison.

There is no indication of any increase in federal law enforcement activity at this time, according to Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. But she said she wants the city to be prepared.

Vermont's independent senator said he thinks ICE can be reined in by stripping the agency of its recent massive funding increase and by passing legislative reforms.

State police arrested 11 people and cited two others on trespassing charges Monday after the group declined to leave a Williston building that houses an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

The federal immigration authorities that detained a Ugandan pastor outside his workplace Wednesday are now denying him the medication needed to treat his Type 2 diabetes, according to his lawyer.

Steven Tendo of Colchester sought refuge in the United States after being tortured in Uganda.