Danbury Council Approves Non-Citizen Police Hires in 18-2 Vote as DHS Rebukes ICE Criticism
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 8
Danbury Council Approves Non-Citizen Police Hires in 18-2 Vote as DHS Rebukes ICE Criticism
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 8
Summary
Danbury’s city council voted 18-2 last week to let legal immigrants and DACA recipients apply for police officer jobs, framing the move as a welcome to the city’s immigrant community.
Joe Britton, a Democratic council member, said the policy was timely after recent ICE activity in the area, while critics including Candace Fay questioned background checks and immigration-enforcement implications.
DHS said the council was vilifying law enforcement and argued ICE had removed dangerous offenders during August operations in Connecticut, which the agency said led to more than 65 arrests.
Those arrests fueled protests in Danbury and drew condemnation from Mayor Roberto Alves and other Connecticut Democrats, who said residents have constitutional rights regardless of immigration status.
Britton said he supports arresting violent criminals but opposed what he called fear-driven enforcement tactics that make immigrant families wary of work, school and church.