The American Civil Liberties Union says the detention by federal immigration authorities of three advocates for Vermont dairy farm workers is a clear attempt by the Trump administration to "intimidate and coerce'" the immigrant community.

James Duff Lyall, executive director at the ACLU of Vermont, said Tuesday that the first arrest came March 15, the day after the state Legislature approved a bill to protect immigrants.

The judge set bond of $2,500 each for Zully Palacios and Enrique Balcazar, who were arrested as they left the office of Migrant Justice in Burlington, Vermont. Cesar Alex Carrillo's bond was revoked.

They were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on alleged immigration violations.

Lyall says all three arrests were politically motivated and "right out of the playbooks of some of the worst authoritarian regimes."