Bills to unmask ICE, restrict arrests likely headed to House Judiciary next week
Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky in Cedar Creek Room Wednesday, January 21. Page video
By Guy Page
Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky (D/P – Chittenden) told a rally packing the Cedar Creek Room at the Vermont State House Wednesday, January 21 that two anti-ICE bills now in Senate Judiciary could well survive a court challenge based on the Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution.
S.208 and S.209 would restrict civil arrests, including immigration arrests, and would require all law enforcement officers to wear name tags and not wear masks, except in special circumstances.
A constitutional lawyer told Senate Judiciary these laws could survive federal court scrutiny if written to apply to all law enforcement- local, state and federal.
Vyhovsky said the bills will be ‘marked up’ for final review and are likely to be voted out to the full Senate next week.
If/when approved by the Senate, it will land in House Judiciary – where the absence of Rep. Kevin Christie (D-Hartford) for medical reasons has resulted in a 5-5 Democrat/Republican balance. Vice-chair Tom Burditt (R-West Rutland) predicted the bill would be unlikely to advance.
A data privacy law similar to legislation that was almost passed into law last year is being used as a tool to try to shut down ICE cyberinvestigations in Minnesota.
S.71, the Consumer Data Privacy Bill championed by Rep. Monique Priestley (D-Bradford), foundered in the final days of the 2025 Legislature when time ran out to reconcile the versions of the bill passed by both the House and Senate.
States Newsroom reports: “The Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act — signed into law in 2024 — gives Minnesota residents the right to tell companies “no” when it comes to selling their data or using it for profiling and targeted advertising. That power became newly relevant when ICE bought access in September to a social media and phone surveillance system that allows agents to monitor city blocks and neighborhoods — and track the movements of people’s smart phones.
“‘Data is being weaponized,” said John Boehler, a policy counsel with ACLU Minnesota. ‘It’s being weaponized by a hostile federal government, and that was always the intended use for all that data collection.’’’
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Categories: State House Spotlight
So NOT great to see our Legislature doing us harm again! Could they please help us be safe and sovereign?!
What in the hell is…..whoops, I forgot, no profanity.
I find it amusing and or frustrating that so many do zero homework about the system they live in: you folks are “in the matrix”, so to speak. If a immigrant has done next to nothing to become a naturalized citizen of the USA, ESP if they have been here for years and haven’t lifted a finger to do so – then ICE has every right to do their job, end of discussion. If they (imm’s) on top of it all are abusing the system that “we’ve” payed into with our blood sweat and tears to support us in our declining years, and it becomes “in question” (don’t even get me started on this ideal and the sudden introduction of C19!) that that system’s very existence may not be part of “our” future – I am sorry I don’t have great feelings for those abusing the system, that includes OBVIOUSLY pocket/bank account-lining “dems and progressives”. I firmly believe in standing on the fence, or the middle of the road and defending what exists because it is supposed to work for those with patience and foundation in mind when it comes to our life path in this country. With AI blatantly bearing down on us and no UBI/HBI system already in place to support the days of so much potential human growth ahead of us I cannot support blatant abuse of the system. For the record I’m not fond of the repubs side of things either, part of the issue is (or should be) freedom OF AND FROM RELIGION – not force fed Xstian values that hold less and less weight the more informed and enlightened the populace becomes. Do your homework, we’re headed for another enlightenment period folks. It might be a bumpy ride if you’re not open-minded in functionally mature ways. Loose the blinders, it’s a key moment in human history and you’re living in it!
Gov. Scott and cronies must want to test the new replacement legislators very quickly. The plot is thickening for ICE coming to Vermont to tackle sanctuary cities.
Pay attention to the people introducing and pushing this bill. It’s the same people that have turned our state into a disaster.
There should not be sanctuary cities or states. If people have broken the law, and yes entering the Country illegally or staying on expired visa’s is against the law they need to be deported.
If they apply to state and local police as well ? You mean they would be putting the people that would probably be the ones who would answer a call to help them at risk
as well as the dreaded ICE officers ? Maybe they’d better get the phone number of their neighborhood crackhead, because he’ll be very happy that these bone headed “law makers” did them a solid, and he might respond ! (Sarcasm)
won’t something like this throw mud in the faces of VT residences. Just came down the pike. Don’t go to AU the UK isn’t any better
“Australia Passes New Hate Speech Law, Raising Free Speech Fears”
https://reclaimthenet.org/australia-passes-new-hate-speech-law
This article sorta heads in that direction The pdf 56 page of the law is linked herein.
The Communists that call themselves Democrats are once more ignoring the Constitution. Like they ignore the 2nd Amendment by trying to ban semi-automatic firearms which by the way the Supreme Court decision in McDonald V Chicago tells they cannot do. They are ignoring the Supremacy Clause that tells them they have to follow legally passed federal law. If you can’t follow the Constitution, this is just proof they are insurrectionists and domestic enemies of the Republic. Where are the consequences for not following the Constitution? They have violated their oath of office.
Not anti- ICE but rather pro-illegal activity! I suppose Tanya will “feel good” when she reads about another murder, rape or trucking accident by illegal immigrants. Enjoy, Tanya.
When showboating democrats and progressives tell us that something is “not just feel-good legislation”, my politics to english dictionary defines that as 100% pure, unadulterated liberal virtue signaling, at taxpayer expense. It’s no wonder why they adjourn in June.
Oh, Please!
Our federal government is only hostile to your warped agenda to completely destroy our American way of life. Personally, I tire of your stupid ideas that only cost the Vermont taxpayer more and more tax money with each session. I would rather you all gather the first part of January, pat each other on the back for being such noble idiots and then adjourn for the year. You Progressives are the most evil of the entire lot and absolutely do not express the morals and values of those of us who have lived and worked in Vermont for many generations.
Just proves the stupidity of the left. They make useless ridiculous laws that will never stand up. Any state law cannot override a federal law. It’s time to get rid of the idiot Democrats and all of the woke. We want every illegal deported. If you’re trying to help them stay here then you are part of the problem
the state has no authority to define federal law enforcement rules. It hasn’t worked in the more liberal states. Also who is going to enforce the law? One constitutional lawyers opinion isn’t as good as another’s. However, court cases and precedent has, as dems like to say, settle law. A State cannot tell a Federal LEO they can’t enforce federal law. That is just beyond dumb. And VT will lose even more Fed funding – it can’t afford to lose.