Statement on the Detention of VT Union Member by ICE

The Vermont AFL-CIO stands in unwavering solidarity with Steven Tendo, a union member and dedicated health care worker who was detained by ICE this morning outside one of his workplaces in Shelburne.  An attack on one of our members is an attack on all of us.

Steven is a valued member of our labor movement, our community, and our country as a whole.  Since receiving his work permit in 2021, he has demonstrated deep commitment to his job, his union, and the people of Vermont.  At a time when Vermont is facing critical workforce shortages in health care, Steven’s work is not only meaningful, it is essential.  Steven is an asylum seeker from Uganda who has complied with all required immigration check-ins over the years and had a scheduled appointment later this week.  Detaining him at his workplace is unnecessary, disruptive, and harmful to both workers and the communities that rely on them.

An attack on one of our members is an attack on all of us.  The Vermont AFL-CIO represents 17,000 workers who believe that no one should be torn from their job, their union siblings, or their community for political gain or intimidation.

We urge the federal government to immediately release Steven Tendo and allow him to continue living and working in Vermont.  We also call on workers, unions, and community members to stand together in support of Steven and against the targeting of immigrant workers who are simply doing their jobs and contributing to our state.

Larry Moquin, President, VT AFL-CIO, lmoquin@vtaflcio.org

JP Isabelle, Executive Director, jpisabelle@vtaflcio.org