Press Releases

ACLU statement on passage of shelter reform bill H.91 

The Vermont legislature has passed H.91, a comprehensive bill reforming the state's emergency housing program, now awaiting the Governor's signature. This legislation shifts the emergency shelter system to a new program with support services, standards, and homelessness prevention.

ACLU of Vermont Statement on Governor Scott Signing S.44

Governor Phil Scott signed S.44, a bill that removes a loophole allowing law enforcement to collaborate with federal immigration authorities without the governor's approval. The ACLU of Vermont praised this action as a crucial step in protecting immigrants and preventing federal overreach.

Rümeysa Öztürk To Be Freed From Detention as Case Proceeds

A federal court has ordered the release of Rümeysa Öztürk, after she was detained for over six weeks following the publication of an op-ed she co-authored. This ruling allows her to return to her Massachusetts community and continue her studies while her case proceeds.

Appeals Court Orders Trump Administration to Transfer Rümeysa Öztürk to Vermont

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Trump administration’s request to further delay Rümeysa Öztürk’s transfer to Vermont. The appeals court mandated that the government comply by moving Ms. Öztürk from a detention center in Louisiana to a facility in Vermont within one week.

Rümeysa Öztürk’s Legal Team to Urge Appeals Court to Not Delay Student’s Transfer to Vermont

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments on May 6th on whether a federal judge's order to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk to VT should be granted or further delayed. Additionally, the court will consider the government's motion to consolidate the cases of Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi.

Federal Court Orders Columbia Student Mohsen Mahdawi Released on Bail

In a positive outcome, Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi from prison on bail today, pending the resolution of his habeas petition. The government’s request for a seven-day pause to Mohsen’s release was denied by the judge. Mohsen's immigration hearing is set for May 1.

Appeals Court to Consider Stay of Rümeysa Öztürk’s Transfer to Vermont

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued an administrative stay on Judge Sessions' order to transfer Rümeysa Öztürk to Vermont while it considers the government's emergency stay request and her legal team's opposition. The government must reply by May 1, and arguments are set for May 6.

Appeals Court Must Reject Government’s Cruel Attempt to Keep Rümeysa Öztürk in Louisiana

Öztürk's legal team is challenging the Trump administration's emergency request to pause a federal judge's order requiring her transfer from an ICE detention center in Louisiana to Vermont by May 1. If granted, it could extend Öztürk's time by several months, where she reports inhumane conditions.

Mohsen Mahdawi Challenges His Unlawful Detention by ICE 

VT resident and Columbia Univ. student, Mohsen Mahdawi, was arrested at his naturalization interview in retaliation for his Palestinian advocacy. In federal court, arguments focused on the court's jurisdiction over his habeas petition. A hearing on the merits and bail is scheduled for April 30th.