Scott says administration making plans to take on migrants if they are transported to Vermont

Gov. Phil Scott at his weekly press conference said he has contemplated what to do if border states send illegal migrants to Vermont, and that his administration is working on early contingency plans to be prepared for such an event.

“Obviously we want to welcome as many people as we can into the state, we think that’s part of the answer,” Scott said in response to a question from a reporter. “But we would like to have a little bit of lead time in order to accomplish that.

Gov. Phil Scott

Scott added that he is working on plans “just in case.”

“We don’t believe that they will target Vermont in that way, but you never know,” he said.

In recent weeks Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis transported 50 illegal border crossers to Martha’s Vineyard, an island off Cape Cod where wealthy and liberal politicians famously reside.

Many commentators criticized island residents for hurriedly turning away their newest potential residents, despite speaking often about the need to create “sanctuary” cities and states for sheltering illegals.

Limited Housing

Scott’s main focus for the press conference, however, was the latest developments regarding the state’s limited housing availability, which he says affects both existing Vermonters and those wishing to come here.

“It’s no secret that in every corner of our state a lack of housing is a major concern,” he said. “This is impacting Vermonters already here and it’s a barrier towards growing our workforce.”

The governor shared that he’s been tackling this issue since his first term in office when he proposed a $37 million housing bond, which his administration says attracted another $200 million in private investments.

He commented on the problems facing the employment market, which is saturated with job openings in nearly every sector, noting housing situation has exacerbated the situation.

“We know there are people looking to come to Vermont to work but they can’t find decent affordable housing,” he said.

Scott said in total the state has “built or preserved over 2,000 affordable housing units since the pandemic started.” He said that during a typical year housing production would be at about a third of that rate, or just about 300 units per year.

This year there is $20 million available for investments in rural communities, such as helping landlords make appropriate repairs to aged housing and upgrades to keep everything up to standard.

“This program increases the amount of usable housing in stock,” Scott said. “It also helps those who are experiencing homelessness transition into permanent housing. This is the kind of transition that will move the needle.”

Comments on northern border policy

He was also asked about the strict travel standards regarding COVID-19 protocols for traveling across the Canadian border. The governor said it is probably wise policy to let those restrictions expire.

“I do think it’s hurt some of the tourism from our Canadian guests; they don’t want to come down because it’s not that flexible,” he said. “… From my perspective I think it’s been counter-productive, and I wouldn’t mind seeing it be dropped altogether.”

Cooperation with the ATF in Burlington

Regarding the formed Chittenden County Anti-Gun Violence Task Force that involves a partnership between Burlington Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Scott said, “We’ve been working with them, we’ve been part of this group that’s being put together.”

He said U.S. and state attorneys are also contributing to these efforts, among other organizations, to address the rapid increase in firearm-related violent crime in Chittenden County.

Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/ProtoplasmaKid

29 thoughts on “Scott says administration making plans to take on migrants if they are transported to Vermont

  1. Scott should hold a private fundraiser among his friends and supporters and distribute the money to any unvetted, unskilled, inexperienced, culturally different illegals, from all over the world, who were encouraged to just walk across the open border, by the millions, each year. In fact, why not give them all the right to vote as well? What could possibly go wrong.

    Oh, why don’t we ask the “open-house” Swedes and Germans how that worked out.

  2. Why are we making provisions to house illegal aliens when we can’t even house our homeless population ? Where is the money coming from to support these illegal aliens, oh that’s right, from the Vermont tax payer who is already tapped out on gas prices and 8.3% inflation as a result of the Biden policies.

  3. Makes no logical sense….why does the Govt’s ICE …(Immigration & Customs Enforcement) be allowed to exist? They, for YEARS, go after desperately needed & hard working Mexican farm workers in VT….but then their boss Biden let’s in 4.9 million illegals since he started….and now Phil Scott wants to lay out the welcome wagon, with great political fanfare, for even more illegals. SO HOW MANY Mexican farm workers in VT have been prosecuted & deported ? HUMM?. NOTHING makes any sense. VT Mexican farm worlers have a right to be very angry…living in such fear of ICE officers… for years…and VT farmers are desperate for their labor. No one else will do it… But Biden allows 4.9 MILLION in? Why is ICE allowed to exist…because there IS NO ENFORCEMENT now – the USA borders are WIDE OPEN .

  4. Dear CHenry, Dano, Tamituna & Yirgach,
    You’d better start praying hard to the Almighty that you and your families never have to face the
    daily challenges experienced by most of these refugees from countries which would jail or kill them
    if they attempted to criticize their governments the way each of you has exercised your freedom to do so in your points of view expressed above. You seem to take your Liberty, your elbowroom, your
    preferences and your privileges as an assumption because of the country in which you live, but over
    90% of the people in the rest of the world don’t enjoy the rights and the freedoms which you assume
    automatically. Perhaps they actually are as fine individuals as you feel you are, but have never enjoyed the freedoms or opportunities which you automatically take for granted every day of your lives.
    Why not give these folks and their young children a break for a change. The majority of them and their families may have deeply earned some help. Who are you, in your arrogance and your
    automatic assumption that they are crooks or drug dealers, unwilling to give them a break by
    greeting them with some sympathy and an opportunity to enjoy the freedom which your progenitors
    fortunately provided for you?
    The vast majority of your fellow citizens are willing and eager to give these folks a break to help them
    establish their lives here without the daily fear that their government will either starve, jail or even murder them and/or their families. Be a HELPER, not an unAmerican!
    their families

    • so what’s your solution to improving the situation in those countries, flee? the founders of America could have left for I don’t where but they stayed and made a change. many paid dearly including the ultimate price. were they wrong?

    • Can we take in all of the world’s poor and abused humans? How many will you personally take in? The world is a scary place and injustice is everywhere so please refrain from trying to make us sound unreasonable in our suggestions that all people allowed into our country are properly vetted. We have laws in the USA and governors should obey immigration laws. Where are your pleas for the forgotten in your backyard. Virtue signaling might make you feel better about yourself, but it does nothing for the world’s poor. It’s not just people who are coming here. There’ are drugs, guns, gangs and terrorists crossing our borders and it must be stopped. A country without borders is not a country. A country without laws is doomed.

    • What’s the saying? Nobody’s above the law, except people who come over the border illegally. But before you call me a racist my grandfather, grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins came thru Ellis Island where they were quarantined, vaccinated, and deloused. When they were released, they had to go to family that would house, feed and help them find a job. There was no welfare. To become a citizen, they had to study and pass a test about our history and form of government. My grandfather died in the Spanish Flu epidemic. There were no masks, no mandatory vaccination, shutdowns or quarantines. They had to work to feed their families There were no stimulus packages. Help came from family friends and the church. If my family had to come in thru this legal process, why shouldn’t they.

    • Bleeding heart? Gimme a break. Since Biden took office 4.9 illegals have crossed the southern border. Along with MASSIVE amounts of dangerous FETANYL. In 2022 they estimate 2 million and more to come. and they ALL come here for, guess what, free stuff….Which Dems will fund….HOW? A $31 TRILLION deficit? Admit it. Only reason they open up border to millions and millions of illegals is to give free stuff….for…ILLEGAL DEMOCRAT VOTES. And they do that HOW? Many states instituted that ILLEGALS can now get DRIVERS LICENSES. Next? MANY Dem states put in automatic MOTOR VOTER REGISTRATION….so any illegal with a drivers license — CAN VOTE IN OUR ELECTIONS ..THE FIX IS IN! ..and WHO will they vote for? Come on, take a wild guess. Over FIVE million new illegals WILL SWAY NATIONAL ELECTIONS….FOREVER!….democrat.

      • Jeff, that is 5 million on top of the 20 million already here! Why isn’t this all considered human trafficking? Makes me wonder what ball we have taken our eyes off while this “move the illegals around” is going on. This disastrous state of the nation is exactly why we can never ever let the dems in charge of managing anything not even porta pottys. They end up spilling their stuff all over the rest of us.

    • Wadiyano, I am a true American, I served my country, and I follow the Constitution
      and the rule of law………..

      How many Illegals ” criminals ” are going to your house, that would be none, you’re
      just another bleeding heart liberal, if you want to come to America, then come in the
      correct way and I’ll welcome all, as a law-abiding citizens!!

    • The ILLEGAL ALIENS who are being picked up on the southern border are coming from over 100 diferent countries around the world. Hard to beleive that they are all fleeing from oppresive regimes. Most of them are crossing several borders to reach our southern border. Asylum seekers are supposed to accept asylum in the first country that will accept them. Mexico has already stepped up to offer asylum as have several others countries which these aliens have passed through.

      Is there any limit on how many of these ILLEGAL ALIENS that we can accept?

    • Got news for you, thanks to the left, the mainstream media, social media and the democrat party, WE Americans now live in one of those countries where you could get jailed, killed, or sued into bankruptcy for expressing thoughts outside the mainstream orthodoxy…

    • Gimme a freakin’ break.
      We have an immigration system, how about they follow it instead of illegally foisting themselves on struggling American taxpayers.

      Do you think that turning our nation into the same lawless, poverty stricken hellholes they escaped will help the world?
      Do you get that when America falls- so to does the world.
      How is the world doing right now with a weak America?
      It looks to me like we’re heading into WW3 with the added threat of it being nuclear war- in addition to a civil war.. does this look like it’s good to you?
      When you get this, you’ll understand why we need Law, Order and a properly functioning immigration system.

  5. It seems to me that when people cast a Republican vote, they are voting NOT to award people that have busted into our nation illegally.
    When you reward bad behavior, guess what you get more of…

    How about Vermont deal with Vermonters first Phil?
    This is like feeding the neighbors kids when your own are standing there hungry.
    No good parents do such a thing.

  6. make sure you really show Phil your displeasure. vote for another candidate on the ballot. my choice is Kevin Hoyt.

    • That makes a lot of sense…..not. So you vote for Hoyt who hasn’t a snowballs chance in H… to win. All you have succeeded in doing is making it easier for a democrat to win. Then we have a totlly democrt run state government. How does that help us?

      • We have a totally democratic/progressive run state government now. Brenda Siegel, if elected will fail miserably because she is not qualified to be governor to begin with. After years of liberal leadership, I’m convinced that we have to give them the rest of the rope so they will figuratively hang themselves as a party. In so doing we allow them to make it so bad for everyone that the voters are forced to wake up due to their horrible policies. The state can not continue to run this way, we, the citizens and the state government appear to be close to the breaking point financially. If the governor is re-elected, the state will continue to kick the can down the road and not much will change for the positive. I’ve been around for quite a few years and this is what I see.

  7. So the Governor is willing to turn a blind eye to ” Illegals ” yes, lawbreakers and
    welcome them with open arms………………. how pathetic !!!

    Why isn’t he demanding the closing of the Southern Border and fixing the broken
    immigration process …… Nah, he has overtaxed Vermonters to ” fund ” these
    criminals and all the goodies that come along with being a border jumper !!

    Keep working, the Governor is depending on your tax dollars.

    • How many times have I heard democrats preach “We are a nation of laws”. Funny how democrat run administrations seem to ignore the laws that they do not like.

      Giving aid to foreign nationals who enter the country illegally seems to make the state of Vermont an accomplise to violating existing federal immigration law..

  8. “Obviously we want to welcome as many people as we can into the state, we think that’s part of the answer,” Scott said in response to a question from a reporter.
    We think that’s part of the answer, to what question? If we want to welcome people into the state, shouldn’t they be legal? How does violating our US immigration laws help in any way? There he goes again, leading from his progressive feelings. How are these governors allowed to enable illegal aliens to enter and stay in our country when others wait in line doing it the legal way? These non-thinking, law ignoring so-called leaders drive me nuts. How is it not a crime to give safe harbor to illegal aliens? Beam me up Scotty (not Phil) there’s no intelligent life down here!

  9. Illegal aliens bring fentanyl across Joe Biden’s open border. China makes fentanyl. Fentanyl is killing Americans left and right….that’s the idea. Hunter has nefarious dealings with China. And The Big Guy gets 10%.

  10. Well gov, as you roll out the red carpet why don’t you do some real work on getting the southern border secured. Stop calling them migrants, they entered illegally and should be labeled and treated as such.

    How many real jobs have you created for the Vermonters who are being displaced by these illegals?
    Why don’t you do a Vineyard on them and ship them to DC?

    You’re acting as if you really like cheap deadly drugs, unemployment and needlessly exorbitant energy costs. I shudder to think what your next trick will be.

    • I would like to see the Gov. is going to take some of these 3rd world people in. He has the resources just like all those bleeding heart rich liberals on Martha’s Vineyard. Instead of Phil using his fortune, the taxpayers foot the bill to harbor illegal invaders. I don’t really see much difference between this Governor and the progressive candidate. Let her by Gov. and watch the people really go nuts. Vermont for Vermonters and legal immigrants.

      • Dano, I realize you are making a point but please dont compare Phil Scott to Brenda Siegel. There is a big difference between a RINO and a rabid, committed deadbeat socialist. She complains about her supposed poverty while she procured a worthless college degree in Dance and Choreography and became a single mother BY CHOICE. She has bemoaned about having to miss lunch in the past for not being able to afford it, and like many Americans, myself included, she could probably benefit from missing a few lunches.

        • What you say is true except, look at where we are now. Will more charging stations for E Vs help anyone? Will 3rd world illegal immigrants from Venezuela help the state? Where is the Governor on Joe Biden’s destruction of our country? Do a few vetoes stop the progressive rot taking place in our schools and crime on the streets? What about the unconstitutional lock downs, forced illegal injections of poison vaccines, the harm done to the children in school, the force Equity, Diversity and Inclusion indoctrination of state employees to keep their jobs, the shaming of the unaccented and so much more. A so-called republican from Barre, Vermont who signed the first unconstitutional gun control laws in Vermont ever. I realize that you will stick buy him regardless, but the man is either led by his wife or he has no republican values period. He could be called a Blue Dog democrat I suppose but in terms of where the state is now if we don’t start demanding that republicans in name only will not be elected, we are doomed to stay on this path of progressive destruction of this state. I’m voting for Kevin Hoyt, Phil Scott left me with his refusal to be what he promised the republican voters.

          • PS, I voted for the governor many times also as a senator, what did I get for those votes? I believe the longer these politicians are in office the more they are controlled by the attitude that they can do no wrong. We need term limits asap.

          • Hi Dano,
            We have to remember something here (and I have similar issues over here with our RINO Chris Sununu) these guys are not representing us Republicans as we really are, they are the leaders of the party they want us to be.
            Just the same as the ‘news’ is not really the news, it’s the news as they want the news to be.
            Extend that same idea to this party; WE are not the party they want.. these guys are trying to force us into being the party THEY Want.
            The RINOs are like the Fake News we are stuck with.

            And think about this, all of us that have our heads screwed on right up here pretty much have no representation at all. We are living ‘very well behaved’ under Tyranny- at the time being.
            Which is why so many people from up here are leaving for the real red states of the South..because they’ve had it with living like this- being robbed by overtaxation and then not even having real representation (which is sounding good right about now).

        • Brenda Siegel is a much better choice, why? Because she is honest in what she believes and wants to go.

          RINO’s are way worse, the ultimate uniparty player, a devil in a nun’s habit.

          RINO’s are the ruin for Vermont. If it were Brenda Siegal against Keith Stern, Keith would be our Governor……..

          See how that keeps the common man from office?

          Brenda Siegal would crash and burn if she won…that would be wonderful for Vermont. Then, they would have to live by their polices. Reap what they sowed……but with a Rino in the lead it’s the best of both worlds, they get a boogie man to blame, yet get their policies!

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