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Judiciary Committee advances bill limiting federal immigration activity in designated protected areas while expanding inspector general oversight
Summary
The Judiciary Committee advanced SB 91 (LCO 3510) after adopting an amendment directing a narrower federal-officer definition and clarifying the inspector general’s investigative role; members debated whether exclusions for certain federal facilities would hinder enforcement or protect vulnerable populations.
The Judiciary Committee on Monday advanced Senate Bill 91 (LCO 3510), a measure that expands the state inspector general’s investigative authority in some settings while carving out protections for certain federal facilities and defining which federal officers are covered. Senator Winfield, sponsor of the JFS motion, said the amendment clarifies which federal law-enforcement officers the bill contemplates, citing statutory definitions from 18 U.S.C. 115 and 34 U.S.C. 503015.
The bill drew extended debate over so-called "protected areas"—locations such as courthouses, schools, houses of worship and other sites where committee supporters said civil liberties and safety require limits on immigration enforcement. "There should be some safe spaces," Senator Kissle said, urging support for protections at courthouses and school grounds. Representative Callahan and others urged caution, arguing that the changes could make it harder for federal authorities to take custody of people in safe, controlled environments and could reduce cooperation that helps remove dangerous criminals from the community.
Representative Fishbine, who frequently moved procedural items during the meeting, said he supported advancing the bill but pressed for narrower definitions so the law would not unintentionally expand the pool of protected locations. Senator Winfield read statutory language to the committee to explain the intention behind narrowing the definition to officers authorized under specific federal code sections.
Committee members also discussed whether the inspector general should investigate uses of deadly force by federal officers and how deaths in federal prisons would be handled. "Under this language," Senator Winfield said during discussion, "if there was a death within the federal prison in Connecticut, we would not have the inspector general investigating that death within the federal prison," a change the sponsor said reflects jurisdictional limits and deference to federal investigative authority.
After discussion and a roll-call, the committee reported SB 91 to the floor with LCO 3510 (JFS). The amendment narrowing the definition of covered federal officers was adopted before the bill was advanced.
