Vermont Legal Defense Fund Hits $250K, Fuels Expansion To Fight ICE Removals

Vermont’s new Immigration Legal Defense Fund has raised $250,000, providing a $100,000 grant to the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project and catalyzing rapid expansion after federal cuts. VAAP plans to more than double its budget, add staff, and expand outreach in prisons and communities as ICE transfers and detentions rise. The push reflects a local response to heightened federal enforcement and tightening grant conditions.