A year ago Bridgeport lawmakers took steps to reassure immigrants — undocumented and documented — they would be welcome in Connecticut’s largest city, despite President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation efforts.
That included public assurances local police were not immigration enforcers, as well as issuing municipal identification cards that are available to all citizens, but are beneficial to undocumented residents.
So some recent arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside of Bridgeport Superior Court on Golden Hill have some in the community — and even Bridgeport’s top cop — particularly troubled.
“It’s hard enough to get immigrants or illegal immigrants to cooperate with the police on certain cases. They’re afraid,” said city Police Chief Armando “A.J.” Perez. “So I don’t want to make it more difficult” by having ICE waiting outside of a courthouse.
Though perhaps a newer development in Bridgeport, such courthouse activity — some of it inside — have for months sparked controversy around the country, with critics alleging ICE’s actions do more harm than good by discouraging immigrant communities from cooperating with local law enforcers.
For example, the Los Angeles Times reported that California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye last year accused ICE agents of “stalking” that state’s court buildings.
Source :- ctpost
That included public assurances local police were not immigration enforcers, as well as issuing municipal identification cards that are available to all citizens, but are beneficial to undocumented residents.
So some recent arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside of Bridgeport Superior Court on Golden Hill have some in the community — and even Bridgeport’s top cop — particularly troubled.
“It’s hard enough to get immigrants or illegal immigrants to cooperate with the police on certain cases. They’re afraid,” said city Police Chief Armando “A.J.” Perez. “So I don’t want to make it more difficult” by having ICE waiting outside of a courthouse.
Though perhaps a newer development in Bridgeport, such courthouse activity — some of it inside — have for months sparked controversy around the country, with critics alleging ICE’s actions do more harm than good by discouraging immigrant communities from cooperating with local law enforcers.
For example, the Los Angeles Times reported that California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye last year accused ICE agents of “stalking” that state’s court buildings.
Source :- ctpost
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