Yesterday, Attorney General William Tong voiced his support for a recent ruling that put on hold President Trump’s executive order attempting to nullify the 14th Amendment, and signed onto a joint letter with several other Attorney Generals regarding the president’s push to accelerate the deportation of illegal citizens.
“This was a blatantly unconstitutional order,” said Tong. “The 14th Amendment could not be more clear—if you are born on American soil, you are an American. There is just zero legitimate legal debate on this question.”
Tong, himself a child of Chinese-American immigrants and a citizen by birthright, joined the attorney generals of 17 other states, the District of Columbia, and City of San Francisco, in filing suit against the executive order on Tuesday. Yesterday, the order was ruled “blatantly unconstitutional” by U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan-appointee, whose ruling has put a temporary hold on the order, which was set to go into effect on February 1.
“The facts and the law are clearly on our side, but this fight is far from over,” said Tong. “We are ready to keep fighting for American families and the essential character of our nation.”
Tong also joined the attorney generals of California, New York, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont, in releasing a statement in response to a memo issued by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement.
“It is well-established—through long standing Supreme Court precedent—that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws,” read the statement. “While the federal government may use its own resources for federal immigration enforcement, the court ruled in Printz v. United States that the federal government cannot ‘impress into its service—and at no cost to itself—the police officers of the 50 States.’”
The memo, sent to the entire DOJ by Acting Attorney General Emil Bove, urged U.S. attorneys to investigate and prosecute state and local officials that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Connecticut looks especially posed to be a battleground state in the tug of war between federal and state immigration policy due to its controversial TRUST Act. Passed in 2013 and amended in 2019, the law limits the circumstances under which state and local police can comply with ICE detainment orders. Essentially, it requires that officers only comply if the orders are backed by a judicial warrant, or if the wanted person in question is a felon or are wanted under federal terrorism laws.
“As state attorneys general, we have a responsibility to enforce state laws – and we will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of immigration status,” read the joint statement. “We will not be distracted by the President’s mass deportation agenda.”
Connecticut Republicans have criticized the bill repeatedly since its passage, and have vocalized their disapproval with increased urgency in recent weeks. Despite their objections, however, it is unlikely they will be able to meaningfully repeal any of its measures or expand the circumstances in which state and local authorities can cooperate with ICE detainment orders, as a result of their minority status in both the state’s House and Senate.
Tong’s stances are unsurprising; he was an ardent opponent of many of Trump’s policies in his first term, frequently describing his legal objections as a “firewall” that prevented any of Trump’s more overreaching initiatives from superseding Connecticut’s own policy initiatives. With Trump’s second term, however, comes a Republican majority in congress and a conservative majority in the Supreme Court. How big of an impact these factors will have on Tong’s resistance to Trump’s initiatives will remain to be seen.
“Despite what he may say to the contrary, the President cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution,” read the joint statement. “The President has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect. Right now, these vague threats are just that: empty words on paper. But rest assured, our states will not hesitate to respond if these words become illegal actions.”
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MS13 gangs are running wild in CT but Tong has made no effort to control or eliminate the threat to our citizens!here is clear evidence of his position, our cities are drowning in serious crime an he does nothing!!
Tong and CT Democrat legislators are out of touch with the mood and sentiments of the country. Over 60% of Americans want criminal illegals out of the country.
Tong etal are more protective of rapists and murderers than they are of CT citizens.
Your liberal reporting bias is obvious.
You don’t have to step on the fourteenth amendment to lock up and deport criminal immigrants. Just prioritize processing those arrested instead of letting them wait in private prisons at further cost to the American people.