The Vermont Department of Corrections reached a settlement with the Vermont Human Rights Commission regarding alleged discrimination against federal immigration detainees in state facilities. The agreement was announced Tuesday, resolving a discrimination complaint that had been filed in January and avoiding litigation in civil court.
The settlement requires the department to provide language interpretation services and ensure regular access to immigration lawyers with the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project. Immigration attorneys had previously alleged that the department was restricting their ability to meet with detainees and that non-English speakers lacked adequate interpretation services, which prevented them from receiving proper medical care or understanding disciplinary actions.
Under the new agreement, correctional staff must identify each detainee’s preferred language upon intake and use mobile interpretation services for communication. Detainees whose preferred language is not English cannot be disciplined for failing to follow instructions given only in English. The department must also provide daily lists of immigration detainees to the legal assistance project and allow attorneys to conduct in-person meetings every two weeks at facilities in South Burlington and St. Albans Town, using prison tablets and inspected personal devices for interpretation.
Federal immigration authorities house detainees in Vermont prisons, typically more than a dozen at a time. The settlement emerged after tensions between the department and immigration advocates escalated, particularly following changes implemented when Commissioner Jon Murad assumed leadership in August 2025. The department’s general counsel stated that the changes represent an opportunity to modernize policies rather than a reversal of previous positions. Legal advocates emphasized that language access is essential for detainees to exercise their legal rights, and indicated they expect continued cooperation from the department going forward.
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