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Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Make Connecticut A ‘Sanctuary State’

Immigrant Yolanda Guzman Elias, right, stands behind the counter at Mi Lupita Bakery with Esmeralda Gonzalez, 3, in the Fair Haven neighborhood in New Haven, Conn.
Jessica Hill
/
AP
Immigrant Yolanda Guzman Elias, right, stands behind the counter at Mi Lupita Bakery with Esmeralda Gonzalez, 3, in the Fair Haven neighborhood in New Haven, Conn.

State Representative Edwin Vargas, a Hartford Democrat, has filed a bill that would make Connecticut a “sanctuary state.”

The bill would prohibit state police from asking people for their immigration status, including those who are in custody.

In Connecticut, Hartford, New Haven and Willimantic have declared themselves “sanctuary cities.”

Last week, President Donald Trump threatened to cut off federal funding to cities that harbor undocumented immigrants.

Vargas told the Journal Inquirer that Connecticut has always been a very welcoming state to immigrants and this is a way of making sure that people don’t have to live in the shadows.

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Bill began his radio journey on Long Island, followed by stops in Schenectady, Bridgeport, Boston and New York City. He’s been a music host, news anchor and traffic reporter. Bill is glad to be back on the air in Fairfield County, where he has lived with his wife and two sons for more than 20 years.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

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