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Greenwich Republican says it's about public safety, Democrat says we need the labor


CT Senator Ryan Fazio and other state Republican lawmakers are putting forth legislation in CT to revise/repeal the Trust Safety Act. This Act creates sanctuary status in Connecticut and in many CT cities to shield undocumented immigrants from Federal authorities. In Sanctuary jurisdictions local law enforcement are not permitted to cooperate with federal authorities in enforcing and sharing information about undocumented immigrants.


State Senator Fazio says, “The 2019 Trust Act ties the hands of our local police from protecting us. It provides harbor to people who have taken advantage of our state and country and undermined public safety. It protects people who have committed assault, public indecency, DUI, and other crimes from federal authorities. It protects people with known gang associations, which is especially relevant in Stamford where two illegal immigrants who are members of the Tren De Aragua gang robbed and murdered a 59-year-old man a few months ago.”


Greenwich State House Rep Steve Meskers disagrees. Meskers provided interesting data. "Our population in the United States (est 334 million) is made up of 20% immigrants (est. 67 million), and more than 25% of that group is undocumented (est.17 million). Undocumented workers make up 25% of all farm workers in the US; essentially they feed us. They make up 17% of all US construction workers; they help house us. 12% of people in food prep and food service are undocumented.”


Meskers says “The logical solution is to provide the people currently in our country with working papers and provide them with a five or 10 year path to citizenship provided that they maintain a clean record. Do we want to improve public safety by arresting people who work in restaurants, construction, health care and agriculture or as aides to our loved ones? It is not a position I can wrap my head around. It seems both heartless and cruel."


Between the Lines - Here is a primer on the terminology:

Trust Act = sanctuary protection for undocumented immigrants

Undocumented immigrants = illegal immigrants

Illegal immigrants = cheap labor



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