Rep. Seth Moulton's recent visit to the ICE field office in Burlington, Vermont, exposed the dire conditions and blatant disregard for human dignity at the facility. The congressman, who had previously visited the site in June, was shocked to find that despite promises made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), there were still no sleeping mats available for detainees.
"It's completely inadequate and inhumane," Moulton stated bluntly. "There should be basic mattresses for people to sleep on, especially after six months without one." The congressman expressed frustration with the government shutdown excuse, which he believed didn't account for the prolonged period of time between June and October when the promised materials were supposed to arrive.
Moulton's concerns are not new; since his first visit in June, he had been highlighting the lack of adequate facilities, blankets, and basic humanitarian needs for detainees at the facility. Despite promises from the administration, conditions remain dire, with reports of overcrowding and scarce food. The congressman noted that while there were fewer people detained on Monday than during his last visit, the overall situation has not improved.
The field office in Burlington is woefully inadequate, described by Moulton as a "makeshift detention center." It's only equipped to hold people for short periods before they are moved to actual detention centers. This creates a vicious cycle where detainees have limited time to interact with lawyers and family members, exacerbating the already dire situation.
Moulton's visit coincided with Burlington Town Meeting, where activists had overwhelmingly voted to denounce actions taken by ICE agents at the facility. The congressman praised these activists, saying their presence made a significant difference in holding the facility accountable. He emphasized that continued oversight was necessary until conditions improved.
ICE has been accused of relocating detainees out-of-state to more sympathetic courts, mostly in the south. However, Moulton pointed out that female detainees are often moved because there is no facility in Massachusetts. The congressman suggested keeping people in-state would be a better solution, providing access to local judges, lawyers, and family members.
Moulton's visit serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of immigration policies and the need for accountability. His continued advocacy highlights the importance of transparency and improvement in detention facilities like the one in Burlington. Until conditions are addressed, advocates will continue to raise their voices, and elected officials like Moulton will remain vigilant.
"It's completely inadequate and inhumane," Moulton stated bluntly. "There should be basic mattresses for people to sleep on, especially after six months without one." The congressman expressed frustration with the government shutdown excuse, which he believed didn't account for the prolonged period of time between June and October when the promised materials were supposed to arrive.
Moulton's concerns are not new; since his first visit in June, he had been highlighting the lack of adequate facilities, blankets, and basic humanitarian needs for detainees at the facility. Despite promises from the administration, conditions remain dire, with reports of overcrowding and scarce food. The congressman noted that while there were fewer people detained on Monday than during his last visit, the overall situation has not improved.
The field office in Burlington is woefully inadequate, described by Moulton as a "makeshift detention center." It's only equipped to hold people for short periods before they are moved to actual detention centers. This creates a vicious cycle where detainees have limited time to interact with lawyers and family members, exacerbating the already dire situation.
Moulton's visit coincided with Burlington Town Meeting, where activists had overwhelmingly voted to denounce actions taken by ICE agents at the facility. The congressman praised these activists, saying their presence made a significant difference in holding the facility accountable. He emphasized that continued oversight was necessary until conditions improved.
ICE has been accused of relocating detainees out-of-state to more sympathetic courts, mostly in the south. However, Moulton pointed out that female detainees are often moved because there is no facility in Massachusetts. The congressman suggested keeping people in-state would be a better solution, providing access to local judges, lawyers, and family members.
Moulton's visit serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of immigration policies and the need for accountability. His continued advocacy highlights the importance of transparency and improvement in detention facilities like the one in Burlington. Until conditions are addressed, advocates will continue to raise their voices, and elected officials like Moulton will remain vigilant.
OMG u guys can't believe what's goin on at that ICE facility in Vermont?! 
Rep Seth Moulton just went back there after 4 months & it's still a total disaster!!! 
No sleep mats for detainees, overcrowding, scarce food... it's like they're treatin' ppl like animals 
! 
And don't even get me started on the admin excuse for the shutdown 
. Moulton said it's completely inadequate & inhumane 
. I'm so proud of him for standin' up 4 these ppl & demandin' change 
. We need more people like him fightin' 4 our rights! 
. And yeah, six months without a mattress is a pretty big deal, but I guess that's just par for the course when it comes to ICE, right? 
. And the fact that there are more people being relocated out-of-state because of lack of facilities in Massachusetts is just, like, wow 
ICE is literally treating ppl like animals 
. We need better facilities and more transparency ASAP 
!
The whole thing just seems really harsh, you know? I mean, people are being held for months without basic amenities and it's just not right 
. Keeping people in-state would be a huge win for families and lawyers alike 
. We should be working towards solutions that benefit everyone involved, not just punishing those in the system 
u gotta feel for the ppl stuck in that ice facility... 6 months w/o a mattress? it's just heartbreaking 
. anyw, kudos 2 rep moulton for keepin it real & to those activists in burlington for speakin out against injustice 
This congressman, Moulton, he's not wrong either. This facility is like a makeshift prison with no regard for human dignity. And yeah, activists making a difference is awesome, but it's about time the gov does something about this. I swear, these politicians are all talk... till they're faced with the reality of people suffering. 
this is so messed up the lack of basic human dignity in that facility is just staggering no one deserves to sleep on the floor for months on end it's a wonder people don't go insane 
my heart goes out to those detainees and their families who are going through this nightmare 
I'm glad Rep Moulton is speaking out though, maybe he can actually make a difference. we need more ppl like him in office who care about the little guys 
the government shutdown excuse is just a cop-out, it doesn't make sense that materials wouldn't arrive on time. and the overcrowding and scarce food reports are just gross