On March 11, federal immigration agents raided a South Burlington home surrounded by hundreds of protesters in a dramatic display of force that captured broad media attention.
In the weeks since, local and Vermont State Police have come under fire for their roles, facing accusations that they aided U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in violation of state policy and that some used excessive force against protesters. In mid-April, state police and the South Burlington Police Department issued after-action reports absolving their officers of wrongdoing. They also released a combined 120 hours of bodycam footage.
The footage offers a rare look at how officers navigated the competing interests of federal and local law enforcement.
This story follows one officer in particular: South Burlington Deputy Police Chief Sean Briscoe. Through hours of his bodycam footage, we witness Briscoe’s attempts to walk a tightrope in his role as the senior South Burlington officer at the scene, caught between federal agents and local residents protesting the ICE action. At one point, Briscoe appears to break down in tears.
Briscoe was among the first to respond to a 7:30 a.m. car crash along Dorset Street that ignited the day’s turmoil, after ICE agents attempted to arrest a man whom they suspected of being in the country illegally. The driver sped away, crashing into several cars, including an ICE vehicle, before he and a passenger fled into a home. ICE agents described the crashes as an assault on law enforcement officers.
Briscoe’s footage begins hours after the crashes. By the time he turns on his camera at 12:24 p.m., a large crowd has gathered outside the home and tensions are rising.
Watch the bodycam footage
View a compilation of video clips from Briscoe’s body camera footage. The text from some clips is annotated below.
12:24 p.m.
Briscoe approaches David Johnston, an ICE agent and supervisor on the scene, and asks for a private conversation.
Briscoe: What is the plan?
Johnston: We’re getting a warrant; we’re going to fucking enforce the warrant. We’re going to fucking take those dudes.
Briscoe: At what point does it become not worth it for one person?
Johnston: When my management says it’s not. It’s two people, No. 1. They hit our guys and fucking run.
An unidentified ICE agent joins the conversation.
Other ICE agent: We’re getting them today; there’s no question about it. And I think you would feel the same way if they hit one of your guys.
Briscoe: I’m just asking a question.
ICE agent: It sounds like you’re on their side, and it’s very frustrating.
Briscoe: No, I’m not on their side. I’m just trying to make sure that this shit doesn’t escalate. That’s all.
ICE agent: Then you guys make sure it doesn’t escalate, too. Right? … We are getting that guy today because he attacked one of our agents, right? That’s an assault. If it was one of you guys, you guys would wait for the warrant, too. It’s very clear.
The two agents get in a car and leave but say they’ll be back in a few minutes.
12:41 p.m.
Briscoe walks over to the car where the same unidentified ICE agent is sitting.
Briscoe: Hey, I just wanted to make sure there’s no bad blood between us. I wasn’t trying to take sides on this.
ICE agent: You know it sounded that way though, right? Think about the way that sounds.
Briscoe: And I’m sorry if it sounded that way. I wanted to come apologize to you for coming off that way. I was just trying to say what my perspective is on trying to weigh the risk. That’s all. I apologize if it came out the wrong way or if it was taken the wrong way.
ICE agent: I understand. I appreciate that, thank you.
Briscoe: And I certainly don’t want there to be any bad blood between us.
ICE agent: No, but we will be here. We won’t leave this spot because we have two vehicles with airbags deployed.
Briscoe: No, I get that. I get that. I was there at the scene this morning.
ICE agent: That’s assault on a federal officer. Someone’s going to jail today. And hopefully nobody else. But if anyone else gets in the way when we get that warrant in hand, so be it. We don’t want it to get ugly, but we need to get who caused this. Seems fair.
Briscoe: I’m Sean, by the way.
They shake hands.
12:43 p.m.
Briscoe has a short conversation with a protester, who tells him that he can join the “singing side” if he wants.
Briscoe: I would enjoy that. Well, you know what I mean by that. But thank you for being out here and supporting your neighbors.
ICE agent David Johnston has returned, and Briscoe walks up to a car where he’s sitting.
Briscoe: Hey, you doing all right?
Johnston: Yeah, I’m good. I just had to go take a leak real quick, man. I was about to piss myself.
Briscoe: I know. It’s a rough fuckin’ day. I’m sorry you’re going through this.
Johnston: It happens.
Briscoe: And I’m sorry that one of your agents got hurt this morning. That’s bullshit.
Johnston: Yeah. That’s kinda why we’re holding fast.
Briscoe: No, I understand. I’m just trying to walk the middle line and keep the peace, man.
Johnston: I know you are.
Conversation turns to a young child in the house, whom school officials want to remove. Briscoe says it would be best to get her out first.
Johnston: Sure. And we’re not interested in the child. We’re interested in the two males that were in the car and did their business. That’s what we’re interested in. We have no other interest in anybody else. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell these people. We’re not trying to do anything that any other law enforcement agency wouldn’t be doing at this point either.
Briscoe: I get you 100 percent. I’m there. I just didn’t want you to think I was having an attitude that I don’t have.
Johnston: No, no. I know you got put in a predicament. We’re all in kind of a shit situation today.
Briscoe: And this is my retirement job. I left my former agency cuz I was tired of getting hit in the head with rocks at protests and shit.
1:11 p.m.
ICE agent to Briscoe: Just to let you know, a judge is reviewing the warrant now. We should have them in hand in a minute. We have SRT [a SWAT-style team] down the road. And once that happens we should be fairly quick, OK?
Briscoe: Any more details on what your plan is for going in?
ICE agent: It’s going to be the SRT guys’ decision, but they’re probably going to do a traditional [bodycam audio of his explanation is bleeped out]. We don’t wanna do that, obviously.
Briscoe: OK. Well, we will stand by and, yeah, just make sure everybody stays safe.
Briscoe tells a fellow South Burlington officer that the warrant is coming soon and events may move quickly.
Briscoe: We are not getting involved with it. However, if they unnecessarily attack anyone, we intervene. If someone attacks them, we intervene. I mean, they should be able to handle themselves. And we don’t get involved unless we have to. But if we have to, we protect everyone’s safety.
Briscoe has a phone call with his chief, then talks with SBPD Sgt. Matthew Plunkett.
Briscoe: The state police’s team is going to be assembling. They should have the warrant shortly. The chief has coordinated with an ICE director down in Boston. They’re going to let us know when they have that warrant to give us time to prepare to make sure we have enough people nearby in case shit goes bad.
1:21 p.m.
An SBPD officer approaches Briscoe to update him about some of the protesters blocking the house.
Lt. Patrick Mulcahy: Just to put it on your radar, the folks that are the most die-hard are saying that they’re going to prevent [ICE] from going in there and they’re going to have to beat the shit out of them, tase them, whatever, to move them out of the way to get into the house. So, there will be uses of force happening as soon as they arrive. I can guarantee it.
Several school administrators arrive to help remove the child from the house. They check with Briscoe to make sure ICE won’t impede. Briscoe checks with ICE agent Johnston, who is sitting with another ICE agent in a car.
Briscoe: Are y’all still good with the school people taking that child out before this goes down?
Johnston: Yeah, I mean as long as —
Other ICE agent interrupts: The problem is, once we start, once we have our guys, we’re going to have an SRT, so once these guys start, everybody’s going to be seen as a target or impeding. So there are going to be charges and stuff.
…
I wouldn’t let them do it. Not now, not at this time.
Briscoe checks in with protesters at the front of the house, then walks back over to Johnston and whispers that the school official went in before he could stop her.
Johnston: [Shrugs.] It is what it is at this point.
Briscoe dictates a text message: A school official and the Marcotte school principal went inside to facilitate the removal of the child. Period. ICE is not happy about it. Period.
1:36 p.m.
The child is driven away with school administrators. Protesters applaud.
Briscoe: Thank God that got done.
Briscoe walks up to Lt. Cory Lozier of the Vermont State Police, who just arrived.
Lozier: I’ve never seen something like this in my life.
Briscoe: No, this is a new one. I’ve been involved in a lot of protests. Well, they still called them protests, but they were riots. I’ve never been involved in this. This is different. Different for me.
1:53 p.m.
Lozier goes to the front of the house to warn protesters that ICE will arrive soon with a warrant and asks them to move aside when the time comes. He warns that a federal tactical force will be coming from out of state. Then he returns to the road as Briscoe approaches.
Lozier: They’re not moving.
Briscoe: Nope. What did they say, specifically?
Lozier: They want to see the warrant, but no matter what shows up here, they’re not moving. They will be peaceful, and they will not assault law enforcement, but they’re not moving. I tried to give them a heads-up that you might get moved by somebody, not South Burlington or VSP, and they’re putting us in a bad spot, but they’re going to do their thing. So this is going to get challenging, to say the least.
Briscoe walks around the house and through the crowd, talking with protesters who ask about his department’s role. Then he walks back out to the road and stands with his officers.
2:22 p.m.
SBPD Sgt. Plunkett to Briscoe: Just so you’re aware, they did not complete the warrant yet. It needed further review. The judge had a hearing. So, the next time it’ll potentially be reviewed is at 3.
Briscoe: [Under his breath.] Fuuuck.
Plunkett: But according to VSP, it sounds like their plan once they have their bodies assembled was to potentially have the [Critical Action Team] and BPD clear a path to the front of the house by pushing, creating a channel for them.
Briscoe: So they’re going to have BPD do that for them?
Plunkett: With VSP. Create a path. Well, [the warrant is] going to be criminal. But clear a path to the front door so then they can do their thing.
3:02 p.m.
Briscoe huddles with his officers down the road from the house.
Briscoe: When this does get to the flash point, when they bring their team in and they decide they’re going to enter that house and do what they’ve got to do, we need to set our rules of engagement and what is expected of us.
We all know what our use-of-force policy is. We all know what our fair and impartial policing says. We know what the Vermont law says about assisting immigration.
This is now a criminal warrant. Once they get that signed, that is a criminal arrest warrant. It’s no longer the civil warrant that we’re prohibited from engaging in. What the ICE agents and their team are going to expect is a path to be cleared for them so they can get to the front door.
It is my understanding that the state police and Burlington PD are taking care of that. We are not going to be directly involved, and we are not going to put our hands on anyone unless we see someone being unlawfully assaulted.
If we see anyone being unlawfully assaulted, if it is a civilian that is being unlawfully assaulted by a police officer from any agency — our agency or any other agency, whether it be local, state or federal — we still have that legal mandate to intervene.
Keep that in mind. Your first priority is your own safety. Everybody goes home. Second priority is the safety of the people that we are sworn to protect.
4:10 p.m.
An hour later, South Burlington City Councilor Andrew Chalnick approaches Briscoe.
Chalnick: I hope this doesn’t get out of control. So the plan is, presumably, we’ll wait for a warrant and then you guys are going to go in and arrest him?
Briscoe: No, no, no, no, no. This is totally and completely an ICE operation.
Chalnick: I thought once it’s criminal, we get involved.
Briscoe: Once it’s criminal, we are legally allowed to get involved. But we don’t intend to. This is an ICE operation. Our main, primary and only goal here is to make sure everybody’s safe.
…
Chalnick: But if they come in with tactical gear and tear gas, they’ll do it much uglier than you guys would, right? And what power or control do we have over that?
Briscoe: Little to none.
5:05 p.m.
Briscoe has another huddle with his officers.
Briscoe: I’ve been told that the state police has been told by the colonel, who was told by the governor: Under no circumstances are they to use gas. However, we don’t know what the feds are going to do. If gas is deployed, we have an order from the chief to turn around and get the fuck out of there.
5:07 p.m.
The officers resume their wait outside the house for ICE to return with the warrant.
Briscoe to one of his officers: This has the potential to be a gigantic fuckin’ shit show.
5:25 p.m.
A line of federal and state vehicles arrives carrying an ICE SWAT team and state police Critical Action Team. State police in riot gear clear protesters from the front of the house, allowing ICE to break down the door and enter.
About 20 minutes later, ICE agents lead three detainees — two women and a man — out and into a waiting vehicle. Briscoe helps shut the car’s door as protesters close in around it.
5:50 p.m.
Briscoe: All right, get these cars the fuck out of here. They’re secure; get them out.
Protesters start to link arms in the road to block the ICE vehicles from leaving. State police try to push them out of the road, and a standoff ensues. Briscoe walks to an area where a woman is on the ground being arrested and others are rinsing pepper spray from their eyes. Briscoe positions himself between protesters and police making the arrest.
6:25 p.m.
Nikhil Goyal, a state Senate candidate, walks up.
Goyal: All of the goodwill your department has built! Nobody is doing any violence! Nobody!
You are our neighbors. You are our neighbors! You are collaborating! They will write the fucking history books. They will put your face. They will put your fucking face, Officer Briscoe. Officer Briscoe!
6:47 p.m.
Twenty minutes later, Briscoe walks away from the commotion and can be heard sniffling and breathing heavily. He takes off his glasses. A woman sees him and pulls him in for a hug.
Woman: Are you OK? Here, give me a hug. Hug.
Briscoe: [Through sniffles:] Jesus fucking Christ.
Woman: You smell like pepper spray, but you’re good.
Briscoe: I’m sorry. OK, I’m good. Thank you. I needed that.
Woman: You’re good. It’s rough. People are nuts.
…
Briscoe: God, fuckin’ … All right, you didn’t see this. I don’t even know you, but thank you for being there for me.
He tells the woman and several others nearby that he left his previous job in Saratoga Springs after 27 years.
Briscoe: This is the reason I left. It was constant protests and a political shit show where the politicians were firing things up, and I left there and came here to get away from this. From overzealous law enforcement.
7 p.m.
As darkness falls, the last ICE vehicle, a white SUV, is still stuck in the road, surrounded by protesters. Minutes later, the ICE SWAT team returns, throwing stun grenades and shooting pepper balls into the crowd.
Briscoe speaks into his radio: Pepper spray deployed. South Burlington, retreat.
Briscoe coughs from the pepper spray and stands on the edge of the crowd as they scream and blow whistles. Another round of stun grenades is deployed before the SUV drives off. Down the road, another group is surrounding a state police tactical truck. Briscoe walks toward it, passing several protesters.
7:09 p.m.
Protester to Briscoe: Fuck you, complacent-ass bitch. Grow some balls.
Briscoe: Thank you!
Another protester to Briscoe: Respectfully, I think you’re doing a terrible job, and I hate you.
Briscoe: Thank you!
7:15 p.m.
The last state police truck drives away. Briscoe gets into a car with Sgt. Plunkett.
7:17 p.m.
Briscoe: Hey, Matt.
Fuck today.
Briscoe turns off his bodycam.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Man in the Middle | Body camera footage from the March 11 ICE raid shows how South Burlington Deputy Police Chief Sean Briscoe tried to keep the peace”
This article appears in May 6 • 2026.
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