Rep. Fishbein Supports Rule of Law

State Representative Craig Fishbein (R-90) today voiced concern over Governor Malloy’s advisory for Connecticut law enforcement agencies to ignore Federal law regarding illegal immigrants by claiming Connecticut law prevents such assistance.

“The governor’s recent interpretation of Connecticut’s TRUST Act is misguided and designed to score political points at the expense of the rule of law,” Rep. Fishbein said.  “The TRUST Act does prohibit Connecticut police from holding people in custody based on civil immigration laws unless they pose a risk to public safety specified in the language of the law. This does not mean, nor was it intended to mean, that Connecticut police should turn a blind eye to illegal immigrants who commit crimes.”

Public Act 13-155 – An act Concerning Civil Immigration Detainers (known as the TRUST Act) – prohibits Connecticut police from holding a person in custody based on a civil immigration detainer unless the person poses a specific risk to public safety.  Those risk factors include:

• Conviction of a felony
• Those subject to pending criminal charges in Connecticut where bond has not been posted
• People with an outstanding arrest warrant in Connecticut
• Individuals identified by the Department of Correction (DOC) as known gang members in the National Crime Information Center’s database, or any similar database, or designated as a Security Risk Group member or a Security Risk Group Safety Threat member
• Persons identified as a possible match in the federal Terrorist Screening Database or similar database
• Persons subject to a final order of deportation or removal issued by a federal immigration authority
• Those who present an unacceptable risk to public safety

Rep. Fishbein, a supporter of legal immigration, said instability in many regions of the world, and the growing threats of terrorism, drug proliferation and gang violence are reasonable concerns that illegal immigration is a public safety issue both nationally and statewide.

“It is unconscionable to me that the governor would advise law enforcement to knowingly ignore both state and federal law to push a political agenda, and to the potential detriment of the citizens of Connecticut,” Rep. Fishbein said.  “Laws are not enforced based on personal opinion.”