New Rules Placed On ICE Agents In CT: Here's What Is No Longer Allowed

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut’s top judicial officials announced new rules Tuesday prohibiting federal immigration agents from conducting warrantless arrests in state courthouses and from wearing masks while inside them.

Lamont said the policy, issued by Chief Justice Patrick Mullins, is intended to ensure that courthouses remain safe and accessible to everyone, regardless of immigration status.

"There have been not a lot of incidents, but there have been some instances, of ICE going into our courthouses, wearing masks, taking people out," Lamont told reporters in Hartford. "[It's] very important that people, immigrants, and even undocumented immigrants, feel safe going into our courthouses. In many cases, they're going into our courthouse as a witness to a crime, doing everything for public safety; more broadly, maybe they've been a victim of abuse. Maybe it's something regarding landlord, whatever it is, people should feel safe going into the courthouse."

The new policy, effective immediately, requires federal agents such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to obtain a judicial warrant before making an arrest inside a courthouse. It also bars law enforcement from wearing masks while conducting enforcement actions there, unless medically necessary.

Chief Justice Raheem Mullins said the move was about protecting the “safety and security of those that work in and visit our courthouses.” He added that “law enforcement activity in our courthouses must be consistent with these principles.”

Judiciary Committee Co-Chair Democrat Steven Stafstrom, who represents the 129th House District, praised the step, calling it essential to ensuring that residents can seek justice without fear of being detained.

"If you are a victim of a crime, if you are someone who believes you've been taken advantage of by an unscrupulous creditor, if you're someone who believes they are wrongfully being evicted from their house, if you are someone who seeks a divorce from an abusive spouse, you should be able to enter a courthouse in this state free of fear that when you try to achieve justice, a masked, unmarked individual is going to grab you and pull you out of the courthouse based on your perceived immigration status," Stafstrom said.

But Republican leaders were vastly less happy about the decision. Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding said it was another example of what he called Connecticut Democrats’ “sanctuary state” policies.

"We are the very definition of a sanctuary state," Harding said in a statement, "with Democrats protecting criminal aliens at the expense of Connecticut citizens."

Harding argued the new policy puts the rights of undocumented immigrants over public safety. He cited recent ICE operations and arrests of illegal migrants accused of violent crimes as examples of why enforcement is necessary.

“People overwhelmingly support removing criminal illegal aliens from our streets, but to Connecticut Democrats, that’s apparently a bad thing,” Harding said. "Many Connecticut Democrats believe there should be no immigration law enforcement in our state. They want to keep criminal illegal aliens on our streets, on our dime."

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Lawmakers said they plan to consider codifying the policy into law when the General Assembly reconvenes. That announcement comes two weeks after almost 100 organizations "committed to immigrant rights, civil rights, human rights, gender rights, workers rights, and racial justice" released a sign-on letter to express urgency and demand that the governor and legislative leadership take action.