Burlington Police Defend Role in ICE Action Amidst Protest & Force Review
Burlington’s interim Police Chief Shawn Burke defended his department’s involvement in a March 11 Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in South Burlington, Vermont, amid mounting criticism from city councilors and residents who allege excessive force was used against protesters. The operation, intended to detain a man who had allegedly re-entered the United States illegally, sparked a daylong standoff and subsequent clashes between law enforcement, and demonstrators.
Chief Burke stated his department responded to the scene following a mutual aid request from South Burlington police, assisting with crowd management as ICE agents attempted to execute a warrant on a Dorset Street home. He maintained that officers exercised restraint in the face of resistance, including objects thrown at them and verbal abuse. “Our officers showed a tremendous amount of restraint at times with the amount of resistance they faced,” Burke said during a City Council meeting Monday night, as reported by WCAX.
The incident escalated when ICE agents deployed flash-bangs and pepper balls against protesters, prompting accusations of excessive force against Burlington police officers. An internal investigation is currently underway to review the department’s actions, with results expected within 30 days, according to Burke. The Burlington Police Department is similarly reviewing whether its officers adhered to the state’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.
Monday’s City Council meeting saw over 60 residents voice their concerns, with some councilors echoing those criticisms. Councilor Becca Brown McKnight questioned the department’s priorities, stating, “As I see it, as police officers, your duty is to Burlington residents and to the United States Constitution.” Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak acknowledged the limitations of local control in such situations but emphasized the city’s responsibility to examine its own actions and strive for transparency and improvement.
Not all residents opposed the police response. One Burlington resident, Dave Mar, argued that the presence of state and local police prevented a more forceful intervention by ICE. However, many speakers sharply condemned the police actions. One resident, identified only as Olga and speaking through an interpreter, alleged abuses and a cover-up of the truth. Others called for the immediate firing of officers involved, with one resident, Dee Graham, stating, “They should be immediately fired, along with all the other police officers that brutalized our community.” Another resident, Amina Carrington, claimed police actions were intended to protect protesters from potential harm by ICE agents.
The South Burlington City Council previously expressed support for its police department’s actions, prior to the completion of any investigations. The Burlington City Council is scheduled to hold a special meeting on Tuesday, March 31, at Contois Auditorium to further discuss the Burlington Police Department’s role in the March 11 enforcement action.
Camila Patin, one of three individuals detained during the ICE raid, was released from federal custody on Friday, March 20, 2026, adding to the public outcry surrounding the incident. The man ICE initially sought to arrest remains at large, and Vermont Governor Phil Scott has described the agents’ tactics as “totally unnecessary.”