Patricia Dillon

In recent years, masked federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have waged a campaign of fear and intimidation in some communities with a reckless disregard for the constitutional rights of the people they encounter.

These incidents have impacted the entire country, including Connecticut. Over the past year, a nursing student from Southern Connecticut State University, and students from Cheshire and Meriden were ripped from their community without warning.  
 
Understandably, some parents are afraid of bringing children to medical appointments or sending them to school, court dates are skipped for fear of being detained, and congregants are afraid of going to their places of worship.
 
We as a state have an obligation to address the unprecedented breakdown in federal accountability and attacks on the rule of law. Senate Bill 397, which I cosponsored, represents a measured and lawful response to these concerns. Specifically, SB 397 does the following:

• Enables any person the right to sue federal actors who violate their constitutional rights.
• Ensures the Inspector General has clear unrestricted authority to investigate the unauthorized use of force by state, local and certain federal agents when force results in death.
• Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks and refusing to identify themselves when conducting operations.
• Builds on the framework established in 2025, designating protected areas – hospitals, schools, court houses, places of worship – that will be shielded from civil immigration arrests unless a law enforcement officer presents a signed judicial warrant.
• Establishes a floor of at least 480 hours of training for law enforcement officers in Connecticut.
• Regulates automated license plate reader technologies, permitting an active hot list, but capping retention of data to 21 days absent an ongoing criminal investigation.

This legislation seeks to protect the constitutional rights of all those who reside in Connecticut.