By Kolby LaMarche

Vermont’s immigrant advocacy landscape grew more contentious Thursday as federal authorities unsealed charges against a prominent Migrant Justice coordinating committee member, as the organization continues to demand accountability following a March 11 Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in South Burlington.

Jose Ignacio De La Cruz De La Rosa, widely known as “Nacho,” was charged with bringing aliens to the United States and participating in a multi-year conspiracy to produce identity documents, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont press release issued earlier today. 

The allegations center on De La Cruz De La Rosa’s alleged role in facilitating the illegal entry of individuals across the northern border and aiding in false documentation schemes.

However, this isn’t De La Rosa’s first interaction with federal law enforcement. 

In June 2025, he and his stepdaughter, Heidi Perez, 18, were detained by Border Patrol agents during a traffic stop on Route 105 in Richford while delivering groceries to farmworkers near the Canadian border. 

Agents reportedly smashed a vehicle window and forcibly removed both individuals, prompting emergency rallies and claims of an unjust “fishing expedition.” 

At the time, Migrant Justice framed the detention as retaliation for the pair’s community support work, with spokespeople emphasizing their lack of criminal history and the absence of immediate probable cause. 

Both faced removal proceedings but were granted bond by an immigration judge in July 2025 after nearly a month in custody, a development celebrated by supporters as a win for collective advocacy.

Federal records, however, indicate that the 2025 stop triggered a broader criminal investigation linking De La Cruz De La Rosa to earlier alleged smuggling activity. 

Court filings from that period referenced possible connections to an individual who crossed illegally from Canada into Vermont, along with communications suggesting arrangements for pickup and payment. 

The newly unsealed charges formalize allegations that De La Cruz De La Rosa participated in a conspiracy to bring aliens unlawfully into the United States and engaged in producing fraudulent identity documents over multiple years.

Details from the Department of Justice announcement describe the case as part of efforts to disrupt networks exploiting the U.S.-Canada border for profit, though specific acts attributed directly to De La Cruz De La Rosa center on the conspiracy elements rather than a single large-scale event. 

Potential penalties for such charges can include significant prison time and fines, though proceedings remain in early stages.

Migrant Justice has not yet issued a detailed public response to the charges as of Thursday afternoon, but the organization’s past statements in similar situations have stressed due process and questioned the motivations behind federal actions targeting its members. 

Organizers like Will Lambek – a translator for the group – previously described investigations tied to the Richford stop as failing to alter the core claim that the initial detention lacked justification.

The charges arrive as progressive communities in Burlington and beyond continue to grapple with the March 11 raid’s implications. 

Public comment at recent city council meetings has highlighted divisions: some residents decry perceived overreach and entanglement between state police and ICE, while others defend inter-agency cooperation as necessary for safety during volatile operations. 

Governor Phil Scott has expressed reservations about certain federal tactics but has not broadly condemned local law enforcement’s supportive role.

The group’s emphasis on “accompaniment” — physically showing up to deter abuses — was on full display during the Dorset Street blockade, where hundreds mobilized within hours of the hotline activation. No similar protest is yet planned for the detention of De La Rosa. 

Critics of the organization argue that its tactics can complicate legitimate enforcement and that leadership accountability matters when serious allegations surface. 

Supporters counter that federal scrutiny often intensifies precisely because of effective grassroots organizing challenging the status quo on dairy farms and border-adjacent rural areas.

As more information becomes available, BDN will keep readers updated.