The Danbury, Connecticut City Council voted 18-2 to approve guidance allowing non-citizen legal immigrants and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to serve as police officers. The decision has sparked a public dispute between local Democratic officials and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which characterized the policy as encouraging criminal illegal aliens.
The vote occurred following recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Connecticut that resulted in more than 65 arrests in August. City Council member Joe Britton, a Democrat, stated the vote was timely given the enforcement activities and intended to signal inclusion to the immigrant community.
What the Right Is Saying
A DHS spokesperson criticized the Danbury City Council, stating they "should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from Connecticut — NOT vilifying law enforcement." The spokesperson argued that an oath of office is a commitment to upholding the law, not "encouraging criminal illegal aliens to break it."
DHS emphasized that ICE agents are arresting individuals with serious criminal convictions, including assault, sexual assault, and molestation of a minor. The department noted that while local officials criticize ICE, federal agents are "arresting criminals and saving countless American lives."
The DHS spokesperson stated that "the vilification of ICE must stop," citing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against agents. The department described ICE agents as "brave" and noted they "put their lives on the line every day to enforce U.S. law and arrest criminal illegal aliens," including gang members and violent offenders.
What the Left Is Saying
Danbury City Council member Joe Britton defended the policy as a measure to build trust between local law enforcement and the community. Britton stated that the vote "sends a message to our immigrant community at large that you are welcome in Danbury."
Britton described the recent ICE raids as "frightening" and referred to them as a "federal invasion of immigration officials in Danbury." He argued that local safety is enhanced when residents trust local government, rather than fearing that daily activities like going to work or school could result in detention.
In response to federal criticism, Britton told Fox News Digital that DHS was "attacking an argument I never made." He clarified that he has "no objection to arresting violent criminals" but opposes using specific criminal cases to justify "fear-driven enforcement tactics that make entire immigrant communities feel targeted."
What the Numbers Show
The Danbury City Council vote passed with 18 members in favor and 2 opposed. According to an ICE news release, August operations in Connecticut resulted in over 65 arrests. DHS identified several arrestees with prior criminal convictions, including Eddy Ruano, convicted of molestation of a minor; Ericko Valenuela-Chua, convicted of sex assault-carnal abuse, sex assault, and assault; Elvin Caceres-Martinez, convicted of assault and weapon offenses; and Frank Guaman, convicted of sex assault and false imprisonment.
DHS cited a statistic indicating a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against ICE agents, attributing this rise partly to local rhetoric. The specific timeframe and methodology for this 1,300% increase figure were not detailed in the provided source material but were asserted by the DHS spokesperson.
The Bottom Line
The conflict highlights the tension between local municipal policies on immigrant integration and federal immigration enforcement priorities. Danbury officials argue that inclusive policing strategies improve community safety and trust, while DHS officials maintain that local criticism of ICE undermines public safety by protecting individuals with criminal records. The situation remains unresolved, with DHS continuing to defend its enforcement actions and local officials maintaining their stance on community relations.