Trump administration sues Connecticut over ICE oversight bill limiting federal enforcement

Kenneth Genalo, director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s New York City field office, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in the Bronx borough of New York.

President Donald Trump’s administration sued Connecticut on Friday over a new state law that subjects federal agents to criminal charges for unjustifiably using force and bans them from wearing masks. 

The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal judge to throw out the provisions of the law that place limits on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and other federal authorities operating in Connecticut. 

“Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe, and they do not deserve to be doxed or harassed simply for carrying out their duties,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “Connecticut’s anti-law enforcement policies regulate the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents. These laws cannot stand.”

Gov. Ned Lamont signed the legislation on May 4 after the Democratic-controlled General Assembly approved the bill without any Republican votes. Lawmakers have said the bill was written to prevent abuses by federal law enforcement amid a nationwide immigration crackdown under Trump. 

“Connecticut will not stand by while federal agents violate the constitutional rights of our residents,” Lamont said at the time. 

The lawsuit names Lamont, Attorney General William Tong, Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin and Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Eliot Prescott as defendants.

“The state’s actions are both fully lawful and necessary to protect public safety and we will vigorously defend the law,” Tong said in a statement. 

The law prohibits federal, state and local law enforcement officials from wearing facial coverings or disguises when interacting with the public and performing their duties, though it includes exemptions for health and safety reasons. 

Additionally, the rules require law enforcement officers to be clearly identified by a badge and name tag that must be on their uniform whenever they are making a planned arrest or interacting with the public.

Officers accused of violating the provisions could face up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $250, according to the legislation. The law also disqualifies violators from asserting immunity against civil liability. 

Most notably, the new law gives the state Office of Inspector General the authority to investigate and prosecute all federal law enforcement agents for the unauthorized use of deadly force, a power previously limited to state officers and select federal officials. 

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Haven, claims the law violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by subjecting federal officials to state authority. It also alleges the limits jeopardize officer safety and operational effectiveness. 

The 17-page complaint notes a similar law approved in California that requires federal law enforcement officers to “visibly display identification” was blocked by a federal judge last month after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit. 

“Connecticut’s attempt to regulate federal officers is dangerous and unconstitutional,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said in a statement. “State interference with federal operations is precisely what the Supremacy Clause was intended to prevent, as the Supreme Court has recognized for centuries.”