Migrant Justice said it is assisting people connected to those detained and is asking anyone with information about them to get in touch. The group has publicly criticized the arrests.

Congressional offices had been informed and that the group is working to offer support, including help for the detainees.

Local and state leaders responded quickly on Friday. State Rep. Chris Morrow (D-Windham-Windsor-Bennington) said a community meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, at 10 a.m. at Neighborhood Connections. He said the gathering will focus on ICE activity and ways residents can support one another.

A coalition of roughly 26 community leaders also met virtually Friday morning on short notice, according to Manchester Select Board member Jonathan West. He said reports from the community suggest the detained people were alone in the area and not traveling with family members.

West said congressional offices had been informed and that the group is working to offer support, including help for the detainees, their coworkers, and anyone else affected. He said participants include legislators, education officials, and business leaders, and that they are also trying to follow the individuals through the legal system so assistance can be provided as the case moves forward.

The latest confirmed immigration enforcement action in Manchester before this came nearly a year ago, in August 2025, when Manchester resident Davona Williams was detained while taking her young child home to Torrey Knoll in Manchester Center. Williams was held at Chittenden County Regional Correctional Facility before being moved to an ICE facility in Detroit, Michigan. She was later returned to Vermont to await trial.