By Guy Page
In a story first reported yesterday by VDC, the U.S. Border Patrol Monday arrested eight migrant workers at the largest farm in Vermont.
Details of the incident are still sketchy. State officials familiar with the incident say the Border Patrol was called to site by witnesses of suspected illegal immigrants.
However, the suspected border crossers were actually farm workers emerging from the tree line after working in the sugarbush, Gov. Phil Scott said at his press conference today.
“I don’t blame the Border Patrol. They were just doing their jobs,” Scott said. He doesn’t know if it signals increased BP activity, “but it could,” he said.
When farm workers saw the agents, the workers fled into a farm building. They were pursued by Border Patrol. The arrests followed that pursuit.
Scott noted the current high level of apprehension. “Maybe four years ago [during the Biden Administration], this wouldn’t have happened,” he speculated.
Operating since 1986, Pleasant Valley Farms milks over 3,000 cows across 10,000 acres. The farm is owned and operated by Mark and Amanda St. Pierre, with their sons Bradley and Jamie St. Pierre. [VDC inadvertently omitted the name of Bradley St. Pierre in yesterday’s story.]
According to an April 22 WCAX news report by Ike Ben-David, advocacy group Migrant Justice has identified the eight arrestees:
Jesus Mendez Hernandez, 25
Juan Javier Rodriguez-Gomez, 41
Luis Enrique Gomez-Aguilar, 28
Urillas Sargento, 32
Diblaim Maximo Sargento-Morales, 30
Adrian Zunun-Joachin, 22
Jose Edilberto Molina-Aguilar, 37
Dani Alvarez-Perez, 22.
WCAX reported the following statement by the St. Pierre family: “On April 21, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents detained several of our employees. We do not know the details or reasons at this time. We have cooperated fully with their instructions. Our employees were hired following the federal and state employment requirements. We remain supportive of our employees and appreciative of the valuable role they play in our community performing essential work on our farm. We hope this matter is resolved quickly. Any other questions will need to be directed to US Customs and Border agents.”
A Facebook commenter on yesterday’s VDC story claiming to have been on site said the Border Patrol officers (whose green and white cruisers can be seen in the photo, with their lights flashing) were responding to a reported attempted crossing of the farm property by suspected illegal entrants into the U.S. The farm is located a short distance from the U.S. – Canada border. However, after Border Patrol agents entered into farm property, eight farm workers were detained.
Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Scott issued this statement:
“Earlier today, my team became aware of migrant workers in Franklin County who were apprehended by Border Patrol agents yesterday. We are continuing to collect information to better understand the circumstances and facts.
“I have long been clear: migrant workers are an essential part of our communities. They are our neighbors and friends, have kids in our schools, shop at our businesses, and play an important role in our economy and workforce.
“It’s far past time for Congress and the President to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would allow pathways to citizenship and greater opportunities for law abiding, hardworking individuals to earn a living in our state, rather than being forced to live in the shadows. Vermont will continue to be a welcoming place for those who are seeking a better life and greater opportunities. It’s time for the federal government to put politics aside and truly make America the envy of the world once again.”
On Tuesday, he urged Congress to pass immigration reform giving guest workers a path to citizenship.
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Categories: Border
Biden let an invasion of 10 million people come into our country, sex and drug trafficking ran rampant, of course he couldn’t care less about it.
Scott seems like he was ok with that too.
Along with locking us down.
United Nations colony are we, welcome Vermont.
Exactly!
So why did they all run? If they were legal and/or had nothing to hide, they wouldn’t have.
Exactly. If you are 100% legal, no problem. Mark & Amanda got caught with illegals before, one would think that might inspire them to play by the rules, especially with the current administration being forced to rectify the previous administration’s ineptitude.
Maybe they were running indoors in response to the BP agents shouting “Your papers, please.”
That’s a bold assumption John.
You know they aren’t migrant farm workers! Migrant Farm workers have always had temporary work Visas. They wouldn’t have been arrested because all they would have to do is produce their Visas! Scott supporting them and this Sanctuary State BS should be all we need to know about who we don’t ever vote for again! I don’t understand why it’s so hard for the Democrats to understand that the majority of Americans are sick of these illegals coming here and totally draining our State and Federal Resources! We spoke up and told them in November we wanted these people deported! It was one of top concerns when voting and we’re not backing off! I hope they all get deported and the Farm gets fined big time for hiring them!
So what Americans will step forward and work the farms. I’ll wait. This has been going on since President Clinton and every president since then. From the orange fields in Florida to Dold farms. Even our former Governor Douglas had illegals working the family farm back in the day . Modern day slavery. There will always be work that “Americans” can’t do or won’t do because of fiscal reasons. Truth sucks but
See they don’t want it to be legal, because then they get cheap labor, and have a high level of control of their employees, ie slaves, but thanks for making the case to continue this trend.
And the problem never gets fixed, because when either party is in control, they purposely choose to keep things the same. Just like PAC money, it was only the minority party that cries foul, meanwhile the majority party never changes the rules because they LOVE the rules.
Can you see how we are being played and taught to fight each other?
Pretty much every polarizing topic is managed like this, via government operatives and the “press”, but I repeat myself.
I worked on farms for many, many years! But now regular people who would don’t because the illegals do it so much cheaper they don’t hire Americans. Plenty of us did until this Country started getting over run with cheap labor! Bottom Line!!
Thats hilarious and ignorant, since Americans, of all colors, work farms every single day. If youre EVEN in Vermont, just look around. THERE IS A PROCESS for non-citizen migrant workers. If they don’t like the process I”m sure our very liberal progressive legislature would be happy to change that.
Jeremy-
Gee, here’s a thought…the state requirements for able-bodied welfare could include working those very jobs. They receive free daycare so time is open for…WORK.
Good farmer. Bad farmer. When you open your refrigerator and grab that gallon of milk, will you drink it?????
Richard-
Well, if that gallon of milk is in my refrigerator, a cow didn’t walk in and put it there so I must’ve wanted/needed it.
Now, had you asked if it was good milk or bad milk…that’s a different answer. 😉😆
I like the way it states they are “migrants ” , what they are ” illegal aliens ” and should be deported, and this farmer should be held accountable for having these illegal on his property and knowing they were Illegal.
Lets see the books on hourly wages and what taxes were witheld from these illegals,.I bet none, maybe the IRS needs a audit this farm.
If any business in Vermont needs workers, green card holders then Vermonts three stooges we have in DC should handle this, well maybe two, as Bernie is on a nation tour for some unknown reason, and flying first class on your dime, we know our Governor turns a blind eye to any and all immigration concerns, he’s feckless.
Wake up people, we deserve better leadership !!
They were hired following state and federal regulations,
They had visas! The white house does not care if workers and students have visas. They want to deport them even with a visa, no criminal background, without having the facts and going through immigration court. Due process is for everyone.
Milk with dignity (MwD) is a scam. It’s a scam for the farm owners, illegal and legal workers; Federal & State governments; all taxpayers. It is not a legitimate organized union; which they purport themselves to be. Ask to see to the hard copy from the U.S. Dept. of Labor recognizing them. They can’t and they won’t because it will expose them to U.S. and Vermont labor & tax laws ( just another of Vermont’s dirty little secrets; (think EB-5 program/Burke Mountain/Newport Vt city) Getting a legit work permit is as simple as applying for it. But they won’t because now they (workers) will have to pay taxes. This is called “tax fraud” and highly illegal. Glad to see that MwD “requires” farm owners to record workers hours worked; that directly involves and exposes MwD to tax fraud liabilities.
Very simple question. Were these 8 legally in the United States? If not, there starts the problems but the fact still remains they are illegally in Vermont, working or not. ~Steve Waldo, Baltimore, Vermont (yes, there is a Baltimore in Vermont).
They had work visas. Why does everyone say they are illegal? The students with visas and farm workers with visas should be allowed to stay if no crime is committed. All border control needs to do is verify the visa and make sure no criminal background and let them get back to work or school
I continue to ask why our elected officials will not enact laws that will permit a “Guest Worker” program to be put into effect? Could it be the low wages, no benefits and ending the exploitation of these workers would cost businesses too much? The political contributions to elected officials by businesses of all types which routinely employ those here unlawfully may be why these politicians won’t act! Stop rewarding businesses and illegals by continuing the current policies. I suggest folks read about the “Bracero Program” of the WWII era, which lawfully brought foreign workers into this country to perform agricultural labor. This issue is one of our politicians and businessman making and they must make changes to correct it.
The BP responded to a citizen’s complaint. if the workers had legal status, why did they run? If they had not run and did have legal status, the BP would not have had a need to pursue them. Now, the scenario becomes interesting. Vermont has no friends in the current administration.
There are legal ways to get farm workers already. We don’t need new laws. We just need to enforce the laws. Biden kept saying Congress had to act. No, we just needed a President to enforce the laws we already have.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services:
H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers
The H-2A program allows U.S. employers or U.S. agents who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs.
No need to “… say “goodbye” to picturesque Vermont hillsides dotted with grazing cows…” Just follow the law!
Perhaps it was all staged to further the agenda to ensure our replacements are fully protected and allowed to take what is not theirs to begin with – jobs, housing, food, phones, healthcare, loaded debit cards, SSI, ballots, and free to range or roam where ever with free licenses. The fact that foreigners get carte-blanche, government protection and representation over any natural born or naturalized citizen is astounding – yet the leadership is all in for them and we get to watch. A false flag psyop or an error turned in their favor to shill and fire more lawfare warfare cannons.
So if they all have the proper documentation as everyone supporting them say they do then why are they still being held by ICE? Is there actually more to this that hasn’t been released?
They hold people because they can. The detention centers get $$$ each day of a hold. Even the Canadian lady was in for almost 2 weeks. The day she was detained, they said she could fly home to Canada. She was booking her flight and they still kept her for no reason. She was not a criminal and had plenty of money to get a flight back home.
2 German girls, traveling the globe after college, planned to visit Hawaii for 5 weeks, going to multiple islands. After landing from Asia, they would not let them stay because they did not have hotel reservations for the entire trip. How many young people get hotel reservations for 5 weeks? Many young people travel, get a hotel for a few days, decide where they want to go next and book reservations later. Holding people who are visiting, tourists, business trips is insane.
>>>“Maybe four years ago [during the Biden Administration], this wouldn’t have happened,” he speculated.”<<<
Well that statement alone just shows how much you don't give a rat's behind.
Let anyone in no matter who
It shouldn't matter to me or you,
If you are an illegal it's okay
Cause Liberal Vermont will welcome your stay,
The bleeding hearts will open arms
Cause some work on our farms,
They are here to work for a better life
To earn money for their family an wife,
Most are good people we can agree
But there are gang members to you see,
Try to get rid of the bad so we are safe
But we have people that block the ban,
We have border patrol doing their jobs too
Legal people would not have ran,
They are only trying to protect me and you
If you're legal we welcome you,
Come on in the door
But until then these are the consequences
Cause there are those of us that love our state more.