The Connecticut State Senate has passed amendments to the state’s TRUST Act as part of House Bill 7259, An Act Concerning Revisions to Various Statutes Concerning Criminal Justice. The bill, approved by the House of Representatives in a 96–51 vote last week, now moves to Governor Ned Lamont’s desk for final consideration.
Originally enacted in 2013, the TRUST Act was designed to limit state and local law enforcement’s participation in federal immigration enforcement. It restricted police from holding individuals solely based on ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detainer requests unless accompanied by a judicial warrant, with exceptions for individuals convicted of serious felonies or identified on terrorist watch lists. The Act aimed to foster trust between immigrant communities and public safety agencies.
In 2019, the General Assembly expanded the TRUST Act to further reduce cooperation with ICE. That legislation barred ICE interviews with individuals in custody without a judicial warrant, restricted when law enforcement could notify ICE about an individual's release, and required authorities to inform individuals and their legal representatives when ICE submitted a detainer request.
The 2025 amendments continue this trajectory but include several compromises that have drawn mixed responses. One significant change is the expansion of the list of offenses for which law enforcement may respond to ICE detainer requests. Thirteen additional crimes were added to the list, including sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor, strangulation, burglary with a firearm, possession of child sexual abuse material, and violation of a protective order.

In a press release from the TRUST Act, NOW! Coalition, some advocates have expressed concern that this expansion may weaken the Act’s original purpose. Mary Elizabeth Smith, Co-Deputy Director at Make the Road Connecticut, noted that while her organization welcomed enforcement mechanisms in the bill, the broadened list of offenses could increase collaboration between law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, potentially discouraging immigrants from seeking assistance or participating in public life.

A provision that would have prohibited ICE arrests in and around courthouses was removed during the bill’s negotiation process. According to immigration advocates, the exclusion of this language may deter individuals from attending court proceedings out of fear of detention, affecting access to justice in communities across the state.
The bill does include a private right of action, allowing individuals to bring civil lawsuits if their rights under the TRUST Act are violated. Tabitha Sookdeo, Executive Director of CT Students for a Dream, described the inclusion of this enforcement mechanism as a “hard-won victory” but emphasized that concerns remain, particularly regarding the lack of explicit data privacy protections.

“Undocumented youth still live in fear that personal information shared with schools or agencies could be accessed by ICE,” she said.
In addition to introducing a right of action, the bill broadens the definition of “law enforcement” to include juvenile probation officers, prosecutors, and those working under or contracted by the Division of Criminal Justice and the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Supporters say this clarification closes gaps that previously allowed some state actors to engage with ICE outside the boundaries of the law.

The campaign for a stronger version of the TRUST Act was led by the TRUST Act, NOW! Coalition, a network of more than 30 grassroots and advocacy organizations. The coalition collected nearly 600 written testimonies and mobilized approximately 200 individuals to testify at a public hearing on March 1. Members of the coalition include 32BJ SEIU, ACLU-CT, CT Students for a Dream, Comunidades Sin Fronteras, Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants, Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance (GHIAA), Make the Road CT, Working Families Party Connecticut, Havenly, Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA), Kamora Cultural Corner, PowerUp Manchester, Connecticut Citizen Action Group, Hartford Deportation Defense, Yale WIRAC Clinic, and several others.

“Today’s Senate vote is a step forward and a testament to our collective power,” said Juan Fonseca Tapia, Campaign Manager for TRUST Act, NOW!, following the vote. He noted, however, that several provisions originally sought by the coalition—including courthouse protections and data-sharing restrictions—were excluded. “The lack of political will to pass stronger protections puts our state’s progress at risk,” Fonseca Tapia added.

Governor Lamont previously signaled opposition to House Bill 7212, a more comprehensive version of the TRUST Act introduced earlier in the session. That bill included data privacy safeguards and courthouse protections but was not advanced beyond committee review despite support from 52 co-sponsors.
As debate over immigration policy continues nationally and locally, Connecticut's revised TRUST Act represents an incremental shift in state-level policy aimed at regulating local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Proponents of the changes describe them as a necessary update to strengthen protections under the law, while others remain cautious about the concessions made during the legislative process.

Resources for Immigrant Communities in Connecticut
If you or your family are impacted by immigration enforcement or need legal support, the following organizations can assist:
- Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI) - (203) 336-0141 | cirict.org
- Connecticut Legal Services - (800) 453-3320 |  ctlawhelp.org
- UConn Law Asylum & Human Rights Clinic | law.uconn.edu/clinics