Hundreds testify for stronger Trust Act in Connecticut hearing; calls for enforceability and courthouse protections

HARTFORD — Dozens of immigrant advocates, teachers, clergy, social workers and legal experts urged the Connecticut General Assembly Judiciary Committee on Thursday to strengthen HB 7,212, an expansion of the state's Trust Act, calling for enforceability, restrictions on data sharing with federal immigration authorities and specific protections that would bar ICE from arresting people at courthouses.

Supporters told the committee that the current federal enforcement environment has driven families to avoid schools, clinics and courts and that the state can blunt that chilling effect by tightening the Trust Act. "I strongly support HB 72 12 along with the proposed amendments offered by the Trust Act Now Coalition," said Margaret Henderson, board president of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury, in early public testimony.

The hearing drew public speakers from across Connecticut. Many asked the committee to add a private right of action or an independent oversight board so violations of the Trust Act can be investigated and remedied; other recurring requests included prohibiting ICE arrests at courthouses, limiting what personal data state agencies can share with federal authorities, and creating a hotline to report violations.

Why it matters: Witnesses described how fear of federal immigration enforcement can undercut public safety and access to services. "Trust is the name of the act, and trust between law enforcers…