With input from the City Attorney’s Office, the Public Safety Committee last week passed a resolution “calling for enhanced transparency and accountability with the Department of Homeland Security.” The effort was led by City Councilman Joe Cruz and co-sponsored by several peers.
Bridgeport hasn’t received ICE attention like other Connecticut communities but backers of the resolution say several residents have been taken into custody that had immigration status and no criminal records.
Some are concerned, however, about potential backlash from the Trump administration withholding federal dollars as well as no practical enforcement pitting law agency against law agency. Some council members are also seeking input from Police Chief Roderick Porter.
The full council is scheduled to vote on the matter Monday night, but City Attorney Tyisha Toms warns of potential consequences in an unsolicited email opinion to the legislative body, following an email from outgoing Councilman Matt McCarthy: to his peers:
I respectfully would request that you make sure this will not affect any grants that may come from the federal level. I think more time should be taken to investigate this.
Tom’s email response to council:
I share your concerns, which have also been discussed with one of the sponsoring Councilmembers. It is reasonable to believe, based on recent media coverage, that employees and municipalities have, at times, faced what appears to be retaliation for speaking out.
That said, I am not suggesting that members of the Council refrain from expressing their views or participating in protests. However, as part of my responsibility to minimize unnecessary risk, I feel obligated to offer my unsolicited legal opinion. While I fully recognize that I have no authority to prevent the resolution from proceeding, I recommend that the Council consider alternative ways, of which there are many, to express solidarity and participate in the resistance without exposing the City to potential adverse consequences.
Response from Cruz:
I respect everyone perspective on this resolution, however I disagree with your opinion as to whether the city will suffer any punishment from the racist trump administration. We’re talking about emphasizing the protection of our rights and freedoms of expression and protection our neighbors. The resolution should never be tabled and we will have a roll call vote on it. Where’s your humanity? The chief is invited to the next council meeting so that everyone can ask questions. I’m very disappointed on the negative feedback of the resolution. We have law abiding undocumented immigrants who deserve to have their rights protected by any means necessary. If anyone has any questions please feel free to call me, Councilman Jorge Cruz and discuss it because I’m the one who submitted this resolution. Thank you.
See the resolution here
I wasn’t going to chimed in but we are talking but pawns/lives in this political game.
WEEPA, in my opinion on you opinion and the illegal opinion is we have to Define retribution from a person who you’re calling racist. With regards to your opinion and the illegal opinion of the city what type of response do you expect from this racist?
In the spirit of transparency and disingenuousness from a race perspective this ain’t a black people thing that they even care about from a black perspective, am I wrong on this perspective black people? Shit across this nation that No Kings protest was pure whiteness that showed up. But but they all knew that that’s why I was on Fairfield Bridgeport borderline.🤣
Let me demonstrate how disingenuous this is by using disingenuouses Gen Now “support” for illegal undocumented migrants. First the black mayor of Chicago had a pre-question stage question that he can answer in the form to associate it with black people and their emotional support to how they ancestors came to this nation.
Second you can’t post facts on the exploitation of immigrant workers by saying they pay so much money in taxes and don’t collect the benefits from those taxes vie Social Security , unemployment insurance Etc, as a positive.
First the amount of money is probably less than 50% of proper taxes being paid, and the fact that they don’t get to get Social Security and all the other benefits associated with a proper work, is beyound logical.
What happens when they get old, which you know is inevitable? What benefits security, rights are they truly afforded, vid exploitation of their labor? Employers benefit without a doubt, the economy perhaps benefits, and from a perspective of the exploitation laborers is a benefit to them based on where they came from. But make no mistake is an exploitation of them and the American ideals.,
Let’s break this political resolution down and it is nothing but political you can get the same as effect and then some in that Code of Silence corruption that is Port politics
WHEREAS, the City of Bridgeport, CT values its ethnic, racial, and socio-economic diversity, and the Bridgeport City Council is committed to enabling all our residents to live and pursue their livelihoods in peace and prosperity with stable and united families; and
That’s a feel-good statement No bearing on Ice, law enforcement or anything else.
WHEREAS, Bridgeport’s residents are known for welcoming with open arms immigrants from nations around the world to Connecticut’s most populous city, and the City Council approved a Welcoming City resolution May 15, 2017 to publicly pronounce that position; and
Another Kumbaya feel good statement meaningless at the immigration issue at hand.
WHEREAS, the City of Bridgeport bears the responsibility for providing local public safety services for all its residents and the Bridgeport City Council maintains its strong support of Bridgeport’s status as a Welcoming City; and
Again another feel-good statement that says meaningless at the issue at hand.
WHEREAS, in serving and protecting all City residents, the Bridgeport Police Department does not stop, detain, arrest or transfer individuals based solely on real or perceived immigration status or warrantless immigration detainers or administrative warrants; and
Again another feel-good statement and a resolution not needed for the cops to behave and act in performing their job.
WHEREAS, in accordance with City Ordinance 2.125 TRUST Enforcement Act, the Bridgeport Police Department fully complies with all federal laws; and does not, and will not, attempt to prevent United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or any other federal law enforcement agency from acting independently in their efforts to locate and detain undocumented immigrants; and
Again putting this down in writing in a resolution is not warranted or needed in the police’s Behavior to assist or not assist ice.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Bridgeport believes in upholding the due process rights enshrined in the United States Constitution and laws, including those afforded to undocumented persons within the United States; specifically, the Fifth Amendment provides that “No person shall ….be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,;” (emphasis added), and
Again feel good statement irrelevant to any action needed or wanted or performed by the city the police or anybody else.
WHEREAS, this Resolution is not intended to, and will not, obstruct, hinder, or interfere with the legal exercise of federal immigration enforcement authority, but rather is intended to, and will, enhance transparency, accountability, and public safety within the City; and
Again I feel good statement and people just want to listen to their own words meaningless at the issue at hand.
WHEREAS, according to a Connecticut Public Radio report[1] published in May 2025, there have been at least 12 Bridgeport undocumented immigrant residents who have been arrested recently by federal law enforcement officials (at least some of whom had no criminal record and were not suspected of any I activity other than their immigration status), resulting in a palpable sense of fear and unease in our neighborhoods; and
We have to Define no criminal record it is a crime to be in the country undocumented, that being said it is sad to see One Wing of the government let’s these people in the back door vie open borders while the other wing of this government rounds them up and throws him out the front door a sad game and exploitation for those who are just looking to seek a better life even though even though on this side of the Border they are being exploited. That being said choosing what laws we what laws we choose to follow based on one’s personal perspective show us the disingenueness and transparency we tend to speak of in our own righteousness.
WHEREAS, certain law enforcement activities have been conducted by federal officers wearing face coverings, and without prior notice given to city officials; or sharing information about where these individuals are being transported to; and
Considering this government that was dominated by the left made our kids wear masks for 2 years it seems disingenuous. But from a safety and law perspective or law enforcement members is demonized for doing their job that the government is asking them to do and apps and facial recognition are tracking them and giving out their personal information very same government coming from a different perspective to put them In harme Way is without a doubt disingenuous showing your face not showing their face as really no bearing on the issue at hand and to make you one might be a little evily disingenuous considering you know the outcome is harm for law enforcement just saying.
WHEREAS, face coverings and lack of visible identification can pose significant safety risks[2] to local police officers who must be able to distinguish federal officers performing legitimate immigration enforcement actions from individuals impersonating ICE or other DHS agents, in order to harass or assault others, including vulnerable women; of which there have been various reported instances on the East Coast including in Georgia,[3] South Carolina,[4] North Carolina,[5] Maryland,[6] Pennsylvania,[7] and New York;[8] and
Face covering as a risk to police is evilishly disingenuous, Identification of the police should be a no brainer and I do believe and police written across their back that’s a must, As for people impersonating law enforcement that’s dangerous for the police and is a crime a serious one I would assume particularly rolling up people detaining them depriving them of their human / American rights. So it’s not be connected to law enforcement ICE doing their job that is asked of them
WHEREAS, the ability for the public to identify all law enforcement officers during interactions promotes professionalism, transparency, and accountability.
Meaningless statement, cannot see lawfulness not identifying themselves outside of people impersonating them but that’s a completely different issue that’s a crime in itself
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Bridgeport encourages local community groups, social service organizations, faith institutions, legal service entities, immigrant advocacy support societies, and other interested agencies to engage in ongoing public education and awareness campaigns throughout the Bridgeport community to inform our residents of their due process rights and how to legally exercise them when interacting with law enforcement agencies and when navigating the civil immigration and criminal legal system; and
Feel good statement has no real bearing on the issue nothing but politics at play here.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City Council hereby calls upon all federal law enforcement agencies to limit their immigration enforcement action within the City of Bridgeport to those operations targeting undocumented immigrants who have, or are suspected of having, committed felony offenses or crimes of violence, or are known gang members, and/or otherwise pose a serious safety threat to the community, in order to improve public safety in Bridgeport; and
Considering it’s been stayed at Bridgeport has been relatively free from Ice activity in a overhandedly way not sure well who they’re preaching to but politically understandable again I still stand by my statement the only place that should be rating and illegal undocumented immigrants to be at the workplace but the employer shouldn’t accountable because they’re the reason why One Wing of our government is letting them in of her government and the other one is kicking them out I’m sure there’s a more comprehensive immigration policy that needs to be made to fill its work needs and not exploit people at the same time just like
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City Council hereby calls upon all of its federal elected representatives in Congress to urge federal immigration officials to cease all immigration raids at public places unless the undocumented immigrants have, or are suspected of having, committed felony offenses or crimes of violence, or are known gang members, and/or otherwise pose a serious safety threat to the community, as such activities create palpable fear and disruption in the community; and
Another bullshit feel good statement, and I stand by my statement non-criminal illegal undocumentation immigration only be detained in process at their work while the debate has always been what do we do with the workers that are non-criminal doing the job and one side always said we can’t condone illegals who broke the law to answer America over people who are trying to get here legitimately and my answer to that disingenuous stance to keep working illegal immigrants exploited. They didn’t break the law to get here they were let in the back door so after this when you keep on rounding up everybody at work to come this country will have to come together and fill that properly with a comprehensive immigration policy for this nation just saying
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no City of Bridgeport department, including the Bridgeport Police Department and its officers or employees, shall collect, request, retain, or disclose any information about an individual’s immigration or citizenship status, national origin, or place of birth for the purpose of civil immigration enforcement. This includes refraining from entering such information into any local or federally accessible database, unless required by state or federal law; and
Again feel good statement and resolution that is not needed for any of this performance to be done.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Bridgeport and its departments shall not grant direct or indirect access to any city-operated surveillance or automated data system — including but not limited to license plate readers, CCTV or traffic cameras, predictive policing tools, or biometric databases — to any federal agency for immigration enforcement purposes, except pursuant to a valid, specific judicial warrant, unless otherwise required by state or federal law; and
Again a political statement that is not needed in a resolution for acts to be performed.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, unless prohibited by state or federal law the Bridgeport Police Department shall, on at least a monthly basis, publicly disclose all requests received from federal immigration authorities — including but not limited to ICE or DHS — for information, access, or assistance of any kind. Reports must include the date, nature, legal basis (if any), and whether the city complied, partially complied, or denied the request; and
Again a resolution is not needed to perform how it wants to conduct Aid immigration enforcement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, no City of Bridgeport department, including the Police Department, or any of its employees, shall participate in any joint task force, operation, training, or information-sharing arrangement with federal immigration enforcement agencies, where the primary purpose involves civil immigration enforcement or removal. This prohibition applies regardless of which agency is the lead, unless required by state or federal law; and
Again no real resolution needed for law enforcements participation and Aid and immigration be it lawful and lawful you all know how this game is
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, no department may enter into, renew, or extend any contract, agreement, or memorandum of understanding with a private vendor, data broker, or non-governmental entity that permits, enables, or facilitates access to city-generated data or surveillance systems by federal immigration enforcement agencies — unless required by state or federal law or specific judicial warrant. For any existing contracts that can’t be immediately amended or terminated for legal or practical reasons, the City should take all legally permissible steps to restrict the use, disclosure, or sharing of such data for immigration enforcement purposes. That could include imposing access limitations through internal policy, administrative controls, or technical safeguards wherever possible; and
Again no resolution needed and what the city wants to do or don’t do in aiding ice
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City Council hereby calls upon every member of the community to contribute time, resources, and financial support to existing nonprofits, community service organizations, faith-based organizations, businesses, and labor unions so that all can unite in the common goal of assisting individuals and families impacted by the ICE immigrations raids; and
Again no resolution needed to State Health people are going to perform and Aid and ice in any form.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, officers of the Bridgeport Police Department and employees of the City of Bridgeport shall not collaborate or support ICE’s efforts in the city, per the Trust Act; and
Again no resolution needed for this either.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED officers of the Bridgeport Police Department and employees of the City of Bridgeport shall not collaborate with, or support, ICE’s efforts in the city per the State of Connecticut’s Trust Act, unless required by state or federal law; and
Yada yada yada yada yada no resolution needed for this shit either
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon passage of this resolution by the City Council of the City of Bridgeport, a copy of this resolution shall be submitted to State Senators and State Representatives of the City, as well as the City’s Federal Congressional delegation
Conclusion this is a political bullshit resolution that has no merits to cities desire outcome to perform Aid ice in any form. That being said the city has no control over ice activities. Ice doesn’t really expect any assistance from municipalities so the question remains why are we here ?
Politics No Doubt, disingenuous without a doubt, Its the clause and affect, time wilI till, ifthe Trump Administration and I use that term loosely it this resolution throws shade in in rease ICE activity in the Port,
WHILE the port don’t need a feel-good resolution to throw shade for increase activity on raids of illegal undocumented immigrants in the Port, in this disingenuous political game . iIt’s would be rationale to point the finger and throw shade on and plan increases Activity,
Since this resolution is meaningless in nature and has no bearing on any desire results Pros or cons to ICE, s activities in the Port or eles where, it should be tabled there’s no need for this to get any desire results and politically there’s no positive to it just saying
PS This is genuineous, notwithstanding you’re promoting exploitation of legal undocumented workers who don’t collect benefits for their labor and unemployment benefits When they get fired or lose their job Social Security when they get old, leave your black lives matter men are home bring your neighbor Banner, but keep the black lives matter been her home this is not a black issue and it doesn’t even benefit them from a black perspective, in fact they lose ground politically on a race level.
I know in America’s political race game with regards to Black all things white is the devil I can assure you perhaps not as racist but the resentment of the South of the Border my migration into black neighborhoods is seemingly the same resentment of the Great South migration of blacks from the south to the north in their neighborhoods that are now traditionally were traditionally black neighborhoods just like
Again let me emphasize perhaps, most definitely not as vehemently racist as the whites in those that era but do not think from a political standpoint there is apprehension in the black community about the great South of the Border migration just saying I could be wrong or say you black Americans people?
“I recommend that the Council consider alternative ways, of which there are many, to express solidarity and participate in the resistance without exposing the City to potential adverse consequences.”
Wait, what’s? Why didn’t you make sure the many “alternative ways” made it to one of the many “WHEREAS” in the resolution?
Give us just one great alternative, just one!
Legal and illegal I may have mixed them up a bit in this piece perhaps disingenuous was an Express explicitly in some cases but I’m sure you get them just good luck port
Speaking of bridge, I came to a perspective Latino is the bridge between white and black in America and its current state and time in history not too far off from exploitation and plate black people in America but yet far off enough in time does not apply to this current generation outside of an emotional understanding mindset where black people are still generally considered the evil and black people can have will have more discontent for white people based on that mental understanding of history and time but not as much resentment towards Latinos and black, and white people’s resentment of black people is less resentment in the Latino then black people based on probably The Stereotype of penis size it is fair to say black people have less inclination to hate Latinos more than they have the inclination to hate White whereas white people will have the less inclination to hate Latinos than black
So from hatred perspective/ American perspective good job Latinos for Bridging the Gap of hate between the white and blacks🤣
P.S disingenuous don’t forget leave your black lives matter at home or you march on City Hall for this resolution hey it’s not a black thing maybe they probably don’t give a shit as much as you think in your effort to connect it to racial identity politics emotionally based on black just saying🤣
Though I could be wrong we’ll say you black people🙃
Where black people are still generally white people he evil
Clarity clarity employers should be held accountable for hiring illegal undocumented immigrants that are exploited in regardless of the percentage of taxes that might be paid in the process the exploitation of these laborers be illegal immigrants is not a positive, nor is advocating for such exploitation Gen now
You have this disingenuous debate, that continues the exploitation of the legal migrant workers that’s been going on as long as capitalist itself in every form of imaginable even slavery. That being said a disingenuous debate of granting these workers work rights in America that would Grant these workers be illegal and documented across the border through the back door that the government left open for them to exploit them is it’s unfair to grant them rights incitizenship because they cut the line as a continuance of their exploitation.
They didn’t cut the line you let him in the back door so they continually be exploited and not collect the benefits of American work rights it’s disingenuous fighting for them to stay in the shadows and not collect those benefits is disingenuous also so it’s fair to say there’s a whole lot of disingenuousness in this debate that’s coming out of both sides in both sides of their mouth just saying
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rNIPKcFU548
On a final note, the reason I say good luck port is because it’s clearly politics at play and the people at the port are just along for the ride,. Since ice has not been active in the port to Rattle is a nest seems disingenuous considering any resolution has no bearing on Ice activity and any assistant on any public State local official organization. So ask yourself what’s the purpose of this resolution in the disingenuousness of politics?
Perhaps this resolution is an inciting incident a catalyst from a racist in the White House. Time will tell
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D22NuO9CIBc