Shumlin Tells Cops to "Look the Other Way" on Illegals
Vermont Governor Calls Illegal Immigration 'essential' to VT

WPTZ.com

POSTED: 7:06 pm EDT September 15, 2011
UPDATED: 8:48 pm EDT September 15, 2011

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Gov. Peter Shumlin clarified his position Thursday after ordering an immediate investigation into State Police handling of a routine traffic stop on I-89 earlier in the week, one that sparked protest and the detention of two migrant farm workers from Mexico.

Shumlin said "look the other way as much as we can" is Vermont policy on undocumented farm workers who play a critical role in the health of dairy farms across the state.

The Mexican laborers were passengers in a car pulled over for speeding in Middlesex Tuesday morning. The driver - a U.S. citizen - received a speeding ticket.

But the account released by state police said that during the stop "it was learned that the passengers were allegedly residing illegally" in the United States. The trooper notified the U.S. Border Patrol which requested VSP detain the Mexicans until federal agents arrived for the transfer to another facility for processing.

Members of the Vermont Migrant Workers Solidarity Project were outraged state police would involve themselves in immigration matters. Three supporters -- including project leader Brendan O'Neill of Underhill -- were arrested for disorderly conduct while trying to block the Border Patrol vehicle from leaving the parking lot.

O'Neill said the incident revealed racial profiling by the agency.

The governor's office issued a statement Tuesday night expressing "concern" over the case, ordering a review of current police policy relating to undocumented workers.

On Thursday Shumlin explained his rationale.

"We have always had a policy in Vermont where we kind of look the other way as much as we can," the governor said. "I just want to make sure that's what's we're doing."

Shumlin said Vermont farms simply "can't survive without workers from outside America. It's just the way it is. "

The state has seen a proliferation of migrants in recent years, by some estimates, half of the Vermont's dairy farms rely on foreign labor to help milk the cows each day.

"In order to harvest our crops, to get our milk to market there's no doubt about it," Shumlin added, "we need foreign workers."

Asked if he would order state police not to intervene in immigration matters going forward, the governor declined comment -- at least until his legal counsel completes her review of the case. But he left little doubt about his intentions.

"Look, Vermont State Police are the best in the world, they do a great job," the governor said. "But my question is do we have adequate policies that give them the protection they need to ensure they're doing the policy we think is right when it comes to this rather complicated question of how we deal with guest workers in Vermont? Farmers can't survive without them. We know the federal government wants to send them home. And we don't."

(video at source)

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