As the Trump administration launched a promised immigration crackdown in Boston and several other cities, Connecticut Republicans called for scaling back the state’s TRUST Act. The law sharply limits when police can cooperate with federal immigration agents.

Democrats promised to defend the TRUST Act, and suggested they may expand it this year in response to the president’s threats.

President Trump promised “mass deportations” – and just days after taking office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested dozens of people in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and several other cities.

Connecticut could be next. The administration has promised to target “sanctuary cities” that limit cooperation with immigration authorities.

“In ‘sanctuary cities’ where they don’t let us take that public safety threat into custody at the safety and security of the jail, we have to go find him,” White House border czar Tom Homan told CNN. “If he’s with others in the country illegally, ICE will not turn a blind eye to that.”

TRUST ACT

The state’s TRUST Act places strict limits on when law enforcement can comply with an immigration detainer. That’s a request to hold a suspect an extra 48 hours, so ICE agents can arrest them. Without the law, supporters say immigrants will be afraid to report crimes to police.

But House Republicans say it has “gagged” ICE agents from deporting violent criminals. On Thursday, they called for rolling back parts of it.

“If people who come to Connecticut or the United States – but here in Connecticut – and they’re here illegally and they’re afraid to commit crimes because they might be deported, good. Be afraid to commit crimes,” said state Rep. Greg Howard (R-Stonington), a veteran police officer.

Under the law, police can only hold an undocumented suspect for ICE if a judge signs a judicial warrant. Otherwise, the suspect must already be convicted of a serious felony or on a terrorist watch list.

The Republican plan would require police to turn over any suspect arrested for up to a Class C felony – which includes second-degree manslaughter and sexual assault, but also non-violent crimes like forgery – even if the suspect hasn’t been convicted.

“If they have an individual in their custody, and that fingerprint goes into the system and they’ve committed rape, and ICE calls Hartford and says, ‘Do you have this person in your custody?’, they’re not allowed to answer that question,” said Connecticut House GOP leader Vin Candelora (R-North Branford).

Connecticut lawmakers expanded the TRUST Act in 2019.

Connecticut is unlikely to roll back the law. Supporters say it protects immigrants’ due process rights.

State Attorney General William Tong said ICE agents already have the information they need.

When suspects are booked, their information goes into a national database.

“That’s not our job; it’s their job,” he said. “And they should just do their job and stop complaining about it.”

The feds might not need Connecticut’s cooperation, though.

The Trump administration is promising an aggressive immigration round-up – including raids on churches, schools and hospitals. The U.S. Department of Justice is even threatening criminal investigations for local officials who stand in the way.

“This is an attempt to bully, harass and intimidate Connecticut into submission,” he said. “And Connecticut will not be bullied, harassed or intimidated. Period.”

The new administration also has the power of the purse strings. In 2017, during Trump's first term, DOJ withheld $6 million in policing grants over the TRUST Act.

The Biden administration restored the money four years later.