NEWPORT, Galvion, a Canadian defense company that operates a ballistic helmet factory in Newport, has supplied helmets to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactical units, according to federal contracts and visual evidence reviewed by VTDigger.
The company’s helmets, identified by their distinctive design, have appeared in photos and videos from high-profile immigration operations, including a daylong standoff in South Burlington in March and fatal shootings in Minneapolis in January. A $15.5 million contract between the Department of Homeland Security and Galvion, through vendor LionHeart Alliance, began in September 2025.
Galvion employs 238 people at its Newport plant and has become a major economic driver in the Northeast Kingdom. The company declined to comment on specific customers, stating it is “a non-partisan organization and do not take positions on political matters.”
Newport Mayor Rick Ufford-Chase said he does not ask businesses about their customers. “It’s not my role to tell Galvion who they should or shouldn’t be selling their equipment to,” he told VTDigger.
NEK will be looking into local economic impact statements and any public records related to Galvion’s federal contracts.
Originally reported by VTDigger.
Photo: David McElwee via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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