While comprehensive immigration reform is being pushed by the congressional delegation in the state of Connecticut, its members plan to protect sanctuary cities. They point to the impact the elimination of funding would have on local law enforcement agencies. The two US Senators in the state, Christopher Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, who voted to give protection to sanctuary cities in the past, have not changed their position. But, they are avoiding the issue of how not to come into conflict with federal immigration law.
The name ‘sanctuary city’ has been given to municipalities where law enforcement agencies do not pursue undocumented immigrants for reasons other than their legal status. Two such sanctuary cities are Hartford and New Haven. New Haven Representative, Rosa DeLauro, has declined to comment on media questions about the issue.
President-Elect, Donald Trump has pledged to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities if they continue to refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. But Democrats, Murphy and Blumenthal insist they will continue to protect them. This is, not least, because of the likely impact on police, who they say, need to use their limited resources to deal with violent crime, and that local and state law enforcement should not be hindered by federal policies.
Murphy says that he wants to see the immigration policy of the US comprehensively overhauled, to provide citizenship to undocumented immigrants living and working in the country. Blumenthal says that he will strongly fight attempts to reduce state funding.