Danbury, CT Council Votes to Let Non-Citizens Serve as Police in Blow to ICE Raids

In a sharply divided vote that has inflamed tensions over federal immigration policy, the Danbury, Connecticut, City Council on Tuesday authorized non-citizen migrants—including DACA recipients and legal permanent residents—to serve as city police officers. The measure passed 18-2, with only two of the council’s twenty members opposing it, according to the Hartford Courant.

The vote came just weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a series of enforcement operations in the city, which local leaders and immigrant advocates said left residents fearful and businesses struggling. Council members who supported the change said it was intended to send a clear message to federal immigration authorities—that Danbury welcomes its immigrant community, regardless of citizenship status.

Council Members Frame Vote as ‘Message’ to ICE

Democratic council member Joe Britton, a leading proponent of the measure, argued that citizenship should not be a barrier to serving in uniform. Drawing on his military experience, Britton said, “In the Army, I learned quickly your background doesn’t matter when you put on the uniform. Same team. Same mission. I believe the same applies to our police.”

Britton insisted that all applicants, including non-citizens, would undergo the same rigorous background checks as any other candidate. He added, “It’s legal. It’s allowed. It’s been recommended. … I do think it’s timely, and this vote sends a message to our immigrant community that you are welcome in Danbury.”

Mayor Alves, Himself a Former Undocumented Immigrant, Backs Change

Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves, a Democrat who has been outspoken in his criticism of federal enforcement, threw his full support behind the policy change. Alves, who has publicly acknowledged that he entered the United States illegally as a child, blasted ICE for its recent operations in the city, accusing agents of sowing fear and turning local businesses into a “ghost town.”

“We don’t see folks going to the stores. We still see parents scared to send their kids to school. We still see parents scared to go to work,” Alves said during the heated council debate.

The mayor’s comments echo broader concerns among immigrant-rights activists, who have pointed to a sharp decline in school enrollment as evidence that families are leaving or staying home out of fear. The Danbury school system reported a drop of about 700 students since last year, with the decline concentrated among English-learners, multilingual students, and low-income families, according to the Danbury News-Times.

Republicans and Federal Officials Push Back

Despite the lopsided vote, the measure has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans and federal immigration officials. The two dissenting council members argued that allowing non-citizens to carry badges and weapons undermines the integrity of law enforcement and could conflict with state and federal regulations.

In an interview with CNN, Trump border czar Tom Homan defended ICE’s actions in Danbury, saying the agency is simply doing its job. “We’re out there to look for illegal aliens with final orders of removal, those who overstay, those who are criminals, and we’re out there looking for them and arresting them,” Homan said. He dismissed accusations that ICE is terrorizing children, calling such statements “a political statement, you know, to enrage the American people.”

Homan’s comments underscore the widening rift between local Democratic leaders and the federal administration over immigration enforcement. While Danbury and other sanctuary cities have sought to limit cooperation with ICE, federal officials argue that such policies only complicate their efforts to remove individuals with criminal records or outstanding deportation orders.

What the New Policy Means for Danbury Police

Under the new ordinance, qualified applicants will no longer be required to be U.S. citizens. Instead, DACA recipients—young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children—and lawful permanent residents will be eligible to apply for positions as city police officers. The change does not extend to undocumented immigrants in general, a distinction that proponents have stressed.

City officials say the measure will expand the pool of candidates at a time when police departments nationwide are struggling with recruitment and retention. They also argue that officers who share the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the community can help build trust between law enforcement and immigrant residents.

But opponents warn that the policy could place officers in legally precarious positions, particularly if federal immigration agents seek to question or detain them. They also question whether non-citizen officers can fully uphold laws that require cooperation with federal authorities.

A Symbolic and Practical Shift

While the immediate impact on Danbury’s police force is likely to be modest—given that few non-citizens may meet the rigorous hiring standards—the symbolic weight of the vote is considerable. It places Danbury among a small number of municipalities that have taken similar steps, and it signals a defiant stance against the federal government’s immigration crackdown.

For Mayor Alves, the vote is a personal as well as political victory. “This sends a message to our immigrant community that you are welcome in Danbury,” he said, echoing Britton’s words. Yet the controversy is far from over, as federal officials continue to criticize the city’s policies and ICE has not indicated it will halt operations in Connecticut.

As the political battle plays out, residents on both sides of the issue are watching closely. Some see the council’s decision as a necessary protection for vulnerable families; others view it as an overreach that prioritizes political statements over public safety. In the weeks ahead, the measure may face legal challenges, and Danbury may become a test case for how far local governments can go in resisting federal immigration enforcement.

Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/09/03/democrat-run-ct-city-oks-non-citizen-migrants-serving-as-police-after-ice-raids/