Imagine dropping your child off at daycare, only to be ambushed by immigration agents moments later. This is the harrowing reality for one Manchester family after a recent ICE raid tore their lives apart. What would you do if your world was suddenly turned upside down?
The quiet life of a Manchester, Vermont, family was shattered recently following a sudden Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid, plunging them into an agonizing search for answers and direction. Nigel Briscoe, partner to Davona Williams, a dedicated home-health aide who has resided in Vermont for over 14 years, found himself grappling with unimaginable stress as he recounted the harrowing events that led to Davona’s arrest and impending deportation, forever altering their future and leaving their 17-month-old son without his mother.
The incident unfolded with terrifying speed as Williams drove her young son into the Torrey Knoll apartment complex. Unmarked vehicles, carrying ICE agents in tactical gear, some visibly armed, suddenly surrounded her car. The shock of the encounter, mistaking them initially for local police, quickly turned to terror as agents identified themselves as ICE, escalating the situation into a deeply traumatic experience for both Davona and her infant son.
Nigel Briscoe received a frantic call from Davona while he was at work in Rutland, hearing her distress as she reported “immigration is here and they’re taking me.” Rushing back, he arrived to witness the culmination of the arrest, observing agents escort his girlfriend into a white van. Briscoe noted the agents’ unusual lack of interest in his own identification, fueling his suspicion that Davona was specifically targeted, raising questions about the fairness and motives behind the enforcement action.
From the confines of the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, where she was initially held, Davona Williams shared her emotional account. Her voice filled with tears, she described the sudden swarm of agents, her confusion, and her desperate pleas to hold her baby during the terrifying moments of her arrest. The emotional toll of being separated from her child, especially under such abrupt and intimidating circumstances, was palpable, leaving her partner Nigel visibly heartbroken.
The family faces the grim reality of Davona’s potential deportation to Jamaica, a process that involves being transported to an undisclosed facility in Louisiana for processing. Adding to their distress, Briscoe reported conflicting information from ICE agents regarding Davona’s ability to communicate, with promises of phone access upon arrival in Burlington proving hollow, further isolating Davona and deepening the family’s sense of helplessness.
Davona’s detention has had immediate and severe consequences for her well-being and the family’s stability. As a dedicated home-health aide, her work involves crucial “wound care” for the elderly, a service she can no longer provide, and she is now suffering without her own necessary medication. Nigel is left to navigate single parenthood, grappling with the closure of their son’s daycare and the immense challenge of balancing work with caring for a toddler, highlighting the critical role Davona played both professionally and within her home.
The Manchester community has also expressed alarm, with neighbors reporting similar accounts of aggressive enforcement. Local officials, including Governor Phil Scott, initially stated unawareness of the incident, while the Vermont Department of Corrections clarified its limited jurisdiction over federal immigration holds. The Attorney General’s Office provided “Know Your Rights” guides, underscoring the legal complexities and the limited state intervention in federal immigration matters.
Amidst the uncertainty, advocacy groups like Migrant Justice have stepped forward, condemning ICE’s actions as a “terrorizing” strategy against immigrant families. They highlight this incident as part of an “escalating wave of attacks” on workers and families, urging Vermonters to stand against such violence. This devastating ICE raid not only disrupts a family but also casts a chilling shadow over immigrant communities, forcing a reevaluation of federal immigration enforcement practices and their profound human cost.
