Reps. McGorty and Perillo: Malloy Directives on Illegal Immigrants Reckless

HARTFORD – State Representatives Ben McGorty (R-122) and Jason Perillo (R-113)  reacted this week to a memorandum issued by Governor Dannel P. Malloy to heads of local law enforcement agencies, municipal police departments, state police and other executive and law enforcement entities across Connecticut, which essentially encourages and directs them to refuse compliance with federal law enforcement authorities that might seek to enforce U. S. immigration law in the state.

Calling the memo “a reckless political move with substantial public safety risks” attached to it, the two Shelton legislators urged the governor to reconsider, and direct state resources to assist any federal law enforcement agency seeking to uphold federal law.

“I support immigration and I believe it is one of the many things that makes our nation great,” said Rep. McGorty.  “But there is a big difference between legal and illegal immigration.  The governor is doing more than just asking state law enforcement to not actively assist federal authorities pursuing people in the country illegally.  He’s seeking to use state executive authority to put up roadblocks to ICE and other federal agencies that are trying to do their jobs.”

“We are a nation of immigrants, but immigration must be accomplished legally,” said Rep. Perillo. “By asking local law enforcement to fold their arms, or worse yet, implement policies that interfere with the ability of federal agencies to apprehend any suspects they pursue, they are asking these officials on a local level to jeopardize the very public safety they are charged with securing.”

Perillo and McGorty suggested Governor Malloy is interested in raising his national profile by standing up to the Trump Administration, and is capitalizing on an opportunity to score badly-needed points with his political base by coming to the defense of those who are in our country and our state illegally.