We Strengthened the Trust Act to Protect Immigrant (and All Our) Communities

May 30, 2025


 
 

As federal immigration agents continue to conduct random raids that disrupt families and spread fear throughout our neighborhoods, my colleagues and I took action to reaffirm Connecticut’s values of fairness, justice, and human dignity. In the past week, both the House and Senate passed legislation to strengthen the TRUST Act—one of the most comprehensive protections for immigrant communities in the nation. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk for his signature. I was proud to be a cosponsor.

Connecticut has long stood as a leader in protecting the rights of immigrants, and this update to the TRUST Act sends a clear message: we will not allow our state resources or personnel to be commandeered into illegal, destructive, and un-American federal immigration enforcement tactics.

We need our law enforcement focused on doing their jobs: keeping us safe, investigating, solving, and preventing crimes, and maintaining the trust of the community. If immigrant communities don't feel comfortable reporting crimes, we are all less safe. If they don't send their kids to school or get necessary healthcare, we will all be less educated and healthy. If members of our immigrant community are afraid to go to work, the economy will suffer for everyone.

This legislation strengthens the TRUST Act in several key ways:

  • Expands existing protections to include juvenile probation officers and employees of the Division of Criminal Justice and the Board of Pardons and Paroles, ensuring that no state or local agency becomes an arm of federal immigration enforcement without due cause.
  • Provides tools for the enforcement of the Trust Act against noncompliant municipalities.
  • Adds important safeguards by expanding the list of post-conviction Class C and D felonies—such as those related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and child exploitation—that allow for cooperation with federal authorities.

This legislation strikes a careful and thoughtful balance. It ensures public safety by prioritizing the removal of those who pose a real threat, while also resisting an unprecedented federal crackdown that, at times, has targeted even those with legal status or no criminal history. These actions undermine due process and constitutional protections like habeas corpus, and they erode trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement—making all of us less safe.

With this legislation now headed to the Governor’s desk, we reaffirm Connecticut’s unwavering stance: we will not stand idly by while others attempt to divide or dehumanize. We will continue to fight for policies that keep families together, uphold constitutional rights, and ensure that our state remains a beacon of hope, fairness, and opportunity for all.