Federal and State Authorities Charge Activists at Vermont ICE Facility

Federal prosecutors and Vermont state authorities have filed criminal charges against activists in Williston, Vermont, in the period leading up to a planned week of protests against the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center (NCATC). The charges, which include state-level misdemeanors and new federal counts, target demonstrators involved in sit-ins at the ICE surveillance facility, as reported by The Intercept.

Vermont and Federal Prosecutors Charge Surveillance Center Protesters

The legal action began in late September when Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark introduced surprise misdemeanor charges against 13 protesters for their alleged roles in a July sit-in at the NCATC. Last week, federal prosecutors followed with charges against five additional individuals. These defendants, ranging in age from 22 to 80, are accused of disrupting operations at the surveillance center on multiple occasions.

Organizers view the timing of these filings as a deliberate effort to suppress dissent. Julie Macuga, an anti-ICE organizer, stated, “Our assumption has been that they did this so close to the week of action in order to try to intimidate people, in order to make people think twice about doing civil disobedience, for fear that they’re going to get charged.”

Surveillance Infrastructure in Williston

Williston, a town of approximately 10,000 residents, serves as a hub for federal immigration enforcement. The NCATC, housed in a modern building featuring glass and dark-blue ribbed sheet metal, is one of only two such facilities in the United States. It functions as a “fusion center,” utilizing open-source intelligence and advanced surveillance software to track deportation targets and monitor online activity.

The facility operates in conjunction with the ICE national tipline and the National Law Enforcement Support Center, also located in Williston. Recruitment documents indicate the center employs at least a dozen analysts tasked with providing target information to field agents within 30 minutes, 24 hours a day. Michelle Dahl, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, noted that the facility’s location is secondary to its function, stating that the center is part of a highly networked surveillance infrastructure that allows for the rapid dissemination of information between federal and local agencies.

Attorney General Bypasses Local Prosecutor to Pursue Charges

The decision to prosecute these protesters changes how demonstrations at the facility are handled. Previously, Sarah George, the state’s attorney for Chittenden County, declined to pursue charges against protesters arrested at the site. The recent state charges were brought by the Vermont Attorney General’s office after the Vermont State Police bypassed the local prosecutor’s office entirely.

State Senator Tanya Vyhovsky, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, described the bypass of the local prosecutor as an unusual move. “There have been cases that Sarah George has declined, but these 13 cases were never even brought,” Vyhovsky said. “This type of stepping outside of our normal court system, as far as I can tell—and I also spoke to actual attorneys in the system—there’s no real precedent for it.”

Political Reaction to Legal Actions

The charges have drawn criticism from members of the Vermont Democratic Party, including state Senate leadership and local officials. Nikhil Goyal, a state Senate candidate, described the prosecution as “extremely concerning,” noting that local resources are being utilized to target peaceful protesters. The legal pressure has also highlighted internal divisions regarding the Democratic Party’s approach to anti-ICE activism.

Roan Wade, one of the 13 individuals charged by the attorney general, expressed frustration with the development. “The same folks who claim to be opposing Trump and fighting this fascist administration are also prosecuting protesters,” Wade said. Despite the legal risks, organizers maintain that the charges have increased public attention on the facility’s operations.

The Vermont State Police have indicated that any future arrests related to protests at the NCATC will be referred directly to the attorney general’s office for prosecution. Demonstrators are continuing with their planned week of action, which organizers expect to be the largest direct confrontation to date against the surveillance hub.

More on this story: Bismarck protesters demonstrate against ICE operations following arrests