In the rolling hills and dairy fields of northern Vermont, a political and cultural shift is unfolding with consequences that stretch far beyond the state’s picturesque borders. Once a reliable Democratic stronghold, the Swanton Sector—encompassing towns like Alburgh, Swanton, Franklin, Berkshire, and others hugging the Canadian border—swung decisively to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. The reasons for this realignment are complex, rooted in anxieties over border security, immigration, and a changing rural economy. But as the dust settles on the first year of Trump’s renewed tenure, many residents are discovering that the “America First” agenda is reshaping their communities in ways few fully anticipated.
According to POLITICO Magazine, the tipping point for many voters came as illegal crossings from Canada into Vermont surged to unprecedented levels in 2024. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended nearly 20,000 people attempting to cross the border illegally in the Swanton Sector—a 205-mile stretch running from northern New York to Maine. This figure accounted for 10% of all U.S.-Canada border apprehensions and shattered records for the region. Local residents, long accustomed to a tranquil border marked more by family ties and commerce than by tension, suddenly found themselves at the frontlines of a national debate.
“When it’s right on your doorstep, you can’t ignore it anymore,” said Cody Ouimette, owner of Swanton’s only diner and a local farmer, to POLITICO Magazine. His sentiment was echoed by many, including dairy farmer Paul De La Bruere, who described witnessing luxury vehicles crashing through barriers in apparent attempts to enter the U.S. illegally. “You go to the barn, and you kind of worried a little bit. ‘Am I going to find something or somebody in here that shouldn’t be?’” he recounted.
The fear wasn’t just of the unknown, but of the known as well. Residents like Jacques Parent, a prominent dairy farmer, drew a clear distinction between the undocumented laborers who have long sustained Vermont’s agricultural sector and the influx of recent border-crossers. “I have nothing against immigrants: I’m one. But we did it the legal way,” Parent told POLITICO Magazine. Yet, he also acknowledged the essential role that migrant workers—often lacking legal status—play in the region’s dairy farms, warning that sustained raids and deportations could cripple the industry and even lead to food shortages. “They’re feeding your freakin’ face,” he said bluntly.
The contradiction is palpable. As Father Luis Barrera, a local priest who ministers to migrant laborers, observed, “This is a rural area, farming, and a big number of people are highly conservative and Republican. But there is a contradiction, because if you talk to the farmers, they will tell you they need that labor.”
That contradiction came into sharp relief on April 21, 2025, when CBP agents raided a dairy farm in Berkshire, Vermont, after a mistaken tip about illegal border crossing. According to POLITICO Magazine, eight migrant laborers were arrested—most of whom had worked on the farm for years, not recent arrivals as initially suspected. Six were ultimately deported, while two were released on bond. The incident underscored the blurred lines between long-term, essential workers and those newly crossing the border, and how policies designed to target one group can sweep up the other.
Since Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, illegal crossings have plummeted, a development that has brought relief to some but also new anxieties. The increased presence of Border Patrol and a willingness to conduct farm raids have sown fear among migrant communities. “Fear has permeated every aspect of the life of these people,” Father Barrera said. Attendance at his Spanish-language masses has dwindled, as migrants are now too afraid to travel even short distances. Instead, Barrera visits them in crowded trailers where as many as 15 or 16 men live together, isolated and anxious.
Meanwhile, Trump’s hardening of the border hasn’t just affected people—it’s also upended longstanding economic and social ties with Canada. Tourism from the north has dropped by nearly a third since 2024, as reported by POLITICO Magazine. Residents who once relied on Canadian visitors for business or regularly crossed the border themselves now face uncertainty and delays. The anticipated completion of Quebec’s Autoroute 35, which would have made Montreal less than an hour’s drive away, has been stalled after a trade spat between Trump and the Quebec provincial government. Local banker Steve Bourgeois lamented the lost opportunities, recalling decades of cross-border cooperation that once kept the region afloat during tough economic times.
For many, the economic impact is tangible. Jennifer Bouchard, a Franklin farmer, and her husband now fear that if they cross into Canada for equipment parts, they may not be allowed back. Denis Boucher, another local farmer, explained that tariffs on Canadian goods like potash and wood shavings—vital for Vermont’s dairy operations—would inevitably raise costs for everyone. “If we get tariffed, we got to pass it on,” he said, expressing hope that the trade dispute would be short-lived but acknowledging the real challenge it posed.
All the while, the region’s political realignment remains fraught with internal debate and soul-searching. Some, like De La Bruere, see the Trump agenda as a necessary correction and a way to restore balance in U.S.-Canada relations. “There’s got to be both sides of it. Yes, I understand compassion for people coming here who really need it, but what about for those of us being affected in a negative way by what’s gone on?” he said. Others, like Denis Boucher, are less certain. “I don’t know if we needed this much change.”
Even as Vermont’s border towns adjust to new realities, another controversy has gripped the state’s media landscape. According to VTDigger, Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was pulled from the air by ABC after comments linking the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to Trump supporters. The move, prompted by pressure from President Trump’s administration and threats from FCC Chair Brendan Carr, sparked a national outcry over free speech. Disney, ABC’s parent company, reversed its decision after public backlash, but Nexstar Media Group, which owns Vermont’s ABC affiliate WVNY, continued to keep the show off the air. In his return broadcast, Kimmel addressed the controversy, saying, “This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”
As Vermont finds itself at the intersection of national debates over immigration, trade, and free speech, its residents are left to navigate the complexities—and contradictions—of change. Whether these shifts will bring lasting benefits or new challenges remains to be seen, but for now, the Green Mountain State stands as a microcosm of America’s broader struggles with identity, security, and the meaning of community.