{"id":510,"date":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/?p=510"},"modified":"2026-01-27T12:04:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T17:04:11","slug":"immigrant-crackdown-felt-in-ct","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/immigrant-crackdown-felt-in-ct\/","title":{"rendered":"Fear & no due process: first year of Trump immigrant crackdown felt throughout CT"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Anna Heqi\u00admi & Kar\u00adla Perez
UConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism<\/strong>
<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two high school stu\u00addents. Eigh\u00adteen minors. Hun\u00addreds of arrests in near\u00adly 20 dif\u00adfer\u00adent towns. Ramped up immi\u00adgra\u00adtion enforce\u00adment efforts have affect\u00aded com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties across Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In just the first six months of Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump\u2019s sec\u00adond term, Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion and Cus\u00adtoms Enforce\u00adment made almost 400 arrests in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, accord\u00ading to the Depor\u00adta\u00adtion Data Project. While the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion claimed it would tar\u00adget \u201cthe worst of the worst\u201d <\/a>immi\u00adgrants, ICE has instead cast a broad net in its appre\u00adhen\u00adsions. The arrests have instilled fear among many non-cit\u00adi\u00adzens in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, regard\u00adless of age, occu\u00adpa\u00adtion or legal sta\u00adtus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStu\u00addents are ner\u00advous about going to col\u00adlege. Par\u00adents are not send\u00ading their younger stu\u00addents to school. Folks are not going to school,\u201d said Tabitha Sookdeo, exec\u00adu\u00adtive direc\u00adtor for Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Stu\u00addents for a Dream.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Stu\u00addents for a Dream Exec\u00adu\u00adtive Direc\u00adtor Tabitha Sookdeo dur\u00ading the 2025 Lati\u00adno Pol\u00adi\u00adcy Sum\u00admit in Hart\u00adford on Oct, 4. Sookdeo said fam\u00adi\u00adlies are wor\u00adried about send\u00ading their chil\u00addren to school for fear that they will be arrest\u00aded by ICE. Pho\u00adto by Anna Heqi\u00admi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For\u00adeign-born res\u00adi\u00addents made up near\u00adly 16% of Connecticut\u2019s total pop\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtion in 2024, accord\u00ading to the U.S. Cen\u00adsus Bureau. Near\u00adly 200,000 immi\u00adgrants in the state were undoc\u00adu\u00adment\u00aded as of 2023, accord\u00ading to the Migra\u00adtion Pol\u00adi\u00adcy Insti\u00adtute<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sev\u00ader\u00adal major ICE oper\u00ada\u00adtions have tak\u00aden place in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut since Trump came back to office. Among them were at least two raids tar\u00adget\u00ading employ\u00adees at car wash\u00ades. The largest enforce\u00adment effort, Oper\u00ada\u00adtion Bro\u00adken Trust, occurred over four days in August 2025 through\u00adout Dan\u00adbury, Stam\u00adford and Nor\u00adwalk, result\u00ading in 65 arrests. This includ\u00aded 29 arrests of peo\u00adple that ICE said had been con\u00advict\u00aded or charged in the U.S. with crimes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In pro\u00admot\u00ading the operation\u2019s suc\u00adcess, ICE took aim at the Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Trust Act, the state law that restricts state and local law enforce\u00adment agen\u00adcies from help\u00ading ICE enforce fed\u00ader\u00adal immi\u00adgra\u00adtion laws.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCon\u00adnecti\u00adcut is a sanc\u00adtu\u00adary no more,<\/a>\u201d the agency declared in a press release.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMake no mis\u00adtake: Every per\u00adson that we arrest\u00aded are crim\u00adi\u00adnals and break\u00ading fed\u00ader\u00adal law, but many of these indi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adals also vic\u00adtim\u00adized inno\u00adcent peo\u00adple and trau\u00adma\u00adtized com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties \u2014 rapists, drug traf\u00adfick\u00aders, child sex preda\u00adtors and mem\u00adbers of vio\u00adlent transna\u00adtion\u00adal crim\u00adi\u00adnal gangs,\u201d said Patri\u00adcia H. Hyde, the ICE Enforce\u00adment and Removal Oper\u00ada\u00adtions Boston act\u00ading Field Office Direc\u00adtor. \u201cThey all made the mis\u00adtake of attempt\u00ading to sub\u00advert jus\u00adtice by hid\u00ading out in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activists have dis\u00adput\u00aded the agency\u2019s char\u00adac\u00adter\u00adi\u00adza\u00adtion of all those arrest\u00aded as hav\u00ading crim\u00adi\u00adnal records. In some cas\u00ades, those who have been arrest\u00aded by ICE in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut were high school stu\u00addents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women hold\u00ading up signs par\u00adtic\u00adi\u00adpat\u00ading in the No Kings protest in Hart\u00adford on Oct. 18, 2025. Thou\u00adsands gath\u00adered at the state\u2019s capi\u00adtol, mak\u00ading it one of the largest sin\u00adgle-day protests in Unit\u00aded States\u2019 his\u00adto\u00adry. Pho\u00adto by Kar\u00adla Perez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Made\u00adline Negr\u00f3n, super\u00adin\u00adten\u00addent of New Haven Pub\u00adlic Schools, said the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty joined togeth\u00ader to bring home Esdr\u00e1s Zabale\u00adta-Ramirez, a stu\u00addent at Wilbur Cross High School who was detained in July at a Southing\u00adton car wash where he worked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a strong coali\u00adtion in this city by which we come togeth\u00ader to pre\u00adpare, because we knew this time could come,\u201d said Negr\u00f3n, who moved to the U.S. from Puer\u00adto Rico when she was 10 years old, not know\u00ading a word of Eng\u00adlish. Though she was a U.S. cit\u00adi\u00adzen, she said she remem\u00adbered feel\u00ading like an out\u00adsider \u2014 a sen\u00adti\u00adment she sees in immi\u00adgrant stu\u00addents today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cThe fear was always there; it has just inten\u00adsi\u00adfied more,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Due Process<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Immi\u00adgrants and advo\u00adcates say the Trump administration\u2019s detain\u00adment prac\u00adtices have been notably more hos\u00adtile and aggres\u00adsive. Social media videos have shown indi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adals being shoved onto the ground and tased. Many of these inci\u00addents occurred in cour\u00adt\u00adhous\u00ades when peo\u00adple showed up for immi\u00adgra\u00adtion hear\u00adings.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once detained, immi\u00adgrants say they have faced deplorable liv\u00ading con\u00addi\u00adtions such as over\u00adcrowd\u00ading and mal\u00adnu\u00adtri\u00adtion. The Amer\u00adi\u00adcan Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion Coun\u00adcil said there have been 22 detainee deaths since Trump took office, while ICE has said<\/a> only 15 deaths occurred in that time\u00adframe.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sai\u00adful\u00adlah Khan, who lives in New Haven, spent three weeks in ICE cus\u00adtody after being detained dur\u00ading an immi\u00adgra\u00adtion sta\u00adtus hear\u00ading at the Abra\u00adham A. Ribi\u00adcoff Fed\u00ader\u00adal Build\u00ading and U.S. Cour\u00adt\u00adhouse in Hart\u00adford. Khan, who immi\u00adgrat\u00aded to the U.S. from Afghanistan and enrolled at Yale Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty in 2012, was charged at by a group of masked ICE agents as he was leav\u00ading the cour\u00adt\u00adhouse. He said he ran because he was scared. Agents tack\u00adled him to the ground and tased him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saif Kahn being interviewed at the University of Connecticut<\/p>\n

Photos by Elijah Polance<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-1024x681.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-1024x681.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-932\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">

Sai\u00adful\u00adlah Khan being inter\u00adviewed at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut. Khan spent three weeks in ICE cus\u00adtody. Pho\u00adto by Eli\u00adjah Polance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe right side of my entire body, includ\u00ading my face, was just par\u00ada\u00adlyzed. I couldn\u2019t feel. I didn\u2019t have sen\u00adsa\u00adtion. I couldn\u2019t move,\u201d he recount\u00aded.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khan said he was dragged to a hold\u00ading cell under the cour\u00adt\u00adhouse. The offi\u00adcers shack\u00adled his hands and feet and refused to let him go to the bath\u00adroom, leav\u00ading him to sit in his own urine for hours, he said. Khan remained in that hold\u00ading cell for three days before being trans\u00adferred to Ply\u00admouth Coun\u00adty Cor\u00adrec\u00adtion\u00adal Facil\u00adi\u00adty in Mass\u00ada\u00adchu\u00adsetts, where he was held in max\u00adi\u00admum secu\u00adri\u00adty.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut does not have an ICE deten\u00adtion facil\u00adi\u00adty; there\u00adfore, most peo\u00adple detained by ICE are shipped to either the Ply\u00admouth Coun\u00adty facil\u00adi\u00adty or Moshan\u00adnon Val\u00adley Pro\u00adcess\u00ading Cen\u00adter in Penn\u00adsyl\u00adva\u00adnia. As of Dec. 10, 2025, there are more than 500 ICE detainees in the Ply\u00admouth facil\u00adi\u00adty, accord\u00ading to the Ply\u00admouth Coun\u00adty Sherrif\u2019s Depart\u00adment. ICE did not respond to inquiries about how many of those peo\u00adple were arrest\u00aded in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accord\u00ading to Khan and his attor\u00adney, Alexan\u00adder Taubes, Khan\u2019s bond was post\u00aded imme\u00addi\u00adate\u00adly, but ICE dis\u00adre\u00adgard\u00aded it, instead ship\u00adping him off to the Penn\u00adsyl\u00adva\u00adnia facil\u00adi\u00adty. Khan said he was denied food and giv\u00aden only one bot\u00adtle of water dur\u00ading the 18-hour jour\u00adney in the sum\u00admer heat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saif Kahn being interviewed at the University of Connecticut<\/p>\n

Photos by Elijah Polance<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-5-1024x681.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-5-1024x681.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-930\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-5-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-5-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-5-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-5-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-CT-Saif-Khan-5-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">

Sai\u00adful\u00adlah Khan (right) with his attor\u00adney Alexan\u00adder Taubes (left). Khan and Taubes say that Khan\u2019s post\u00aded bond was dis\u00adre\u00adgard\u00aded, and he was instead sent to a Penn\u00adsyl\u00adva\u00adnia ICE facil\u00adi\u00adty. Pho\u00adto by Eli\u00adjah Polance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Pro\u00adfes\u00adsor Charles Vena\u00adtor-San\u00adti\u00ada\u00adgo, who teach\u00ades a course titled \u201cUnit\u00aded States Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal Dic\u00adta\u00adtor\u00adship,\u201d called ICE agents\u2019 immi\u00adgra\u00adtion enforce\u00adment, \u201cmovie-style raids\u201d as they grab peo\u00adple while wear\u00ading masks and in unmarked vehi\u00adcles. \u201cThis is more of a show of force, to scare peo\u00adple,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dan Bar\u00adrett, legal direc\u00adtor of the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan Civ\u00adil Lib\u00ader\u00adties Union of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, said he believes that there have been vio\u00adla\u00adtions of the Fifth Amend\u00adment in immi\u00adgra\u00adtion cas\u00ades. The Fifth Amend\u00adment<\/a> states that no per\u00adson shall \u201cbe deprived of life, lib\u00ader\u00adty, or prop\u00ader\u00adty, with\u00adout due process of law.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cas\u00ades, the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion is deport\u00ading immi\u00adgrants with\u00adout going through immi\u00adgra\u00adtion courts, Bar\u00adrett said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo eject the num\u00adber of peo\u00adple that it\u2019s decid\u00aded capri\u00adcious\u00adly to eject from the coun\u00adtry, it must act uni\u00adlat\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly, which is the def\u00adi\u00adn\u00adi\u00adtion of an absence of due process,\u201d Bar\u00adrett said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bar\u00adrett said the Supreme Court estab\u00adlished in a 1976 case that due process requires \u201cmean\u00ading\u00adful oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adty to be heard.\u201d Every per\u00adson, regard\u00adless of immi\u00adgra\u00adtion sta\u00adtus, is enti\u00adtled to due process, Bar\u00adrett said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you are phys\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly present, you are sub\u00adject to Amer\u00adi\u00adcan law. One Amer\u00adi\u00adcan law is the Unit\u00aded States Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion \u2026 That\u2019s true both fed\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly and on the state lev\u00adel,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you\u2019re phys\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly present here, then you have the pro\u00adtec\u00adtions, for exam\u00adple, of the due process clause.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Bauer, a clin\u00adi\u00adcal pro\u00adfes\u00adsor at UConn School of Law, oper\u00adates the university\u2019s Asy\u00adlum and Human Rights Clin\u00adic that rep\u00adre\u00adsents clients apply\u00ading for asy\u00adlum in the U.S. His clients have fled from their home coun\u00adtries to escape vio\u00adlence due to their gen\u00adder or sex\u00adu\u00adal ori\u00aden\u00adta\u00adtion, reli\u00adgious or polit\u00adi\u00adcal per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adtion or some oth\u00ader dan\u00adger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bauer said that one of the ways the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion has under\u00admined due process has been by rein\u00adter\u00adpret\u00ading the law to deny peo\u00adple the right to a hear\u00ading and to keep nonci\u00adt\u00adi\u00adzens in pro\u00adlonged deten\u00adtion. He said that the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion has decid\u00aded that any\u00adone who entered the coun\u00adtry with\u00adout a visa is no longer enti\u00adtled to a bond hear\u00ading, for exam\u00adple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s anoth\u00ader area where in just about every case where a court has reviewed this new pol\u00adi\u00adcy, the courts have found that it\u2019s legal\u00adly unfound\u00aded, and in fact, peo\u00adple are enti\u00adtled to a bond hear\u00ading,\u201d he said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bauer said the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion is also attempt\u00ading to exploit exec\u00adu\u00adtive orders in anoth\u00ader part of the immi\u00adgra\u00adtion debate: the quest to change who qual\u00adi\u00adfies for birthright cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birthright Citizenship<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the eight exec\u00adu\u00adtive orders<\/a> regard\u00ading immi\u00adgra\u00adtion that Trump signed on his first day back in the White House tar\u00adget\u00aded birthright cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship<\/a>. This order aimed to deny cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship to chil\u00addren born on U.S. soil if nei\u00adther their par\u00adents had legal per\u00adma\u00adnent sta\u00adtus when the child was born.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bauer said this order direct\u00adly con\u00adtra\u00addicts how the Supreme Court has inter\u00adpret\u00aded birthright cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship for more than a cen\u00adtu\u00adry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Four\u00adteenth Amend\u00adment to the Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion, which has been in effect since 1868, says \u2018all per\u00adsons born or nat\u00adu\u00adral\u00adized in the Unit\u00aded States and sub\u00adject to the juris\u00addic\u00adtion there\u00adof, are cit\u00adi\u00adzens of the Unit\u00aded States and of the state where\u00adin they reside.\u2019 So, on the face of things, it could not be clear\u00ader that peo\u00adple born in the Unit\u00aded States are cit\u00adi\u00adzens of the Unit\u00aded States,\u201d he said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The com\u00admon law doc\u00adtrine of birthright cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship was estab\u00adlished even ear\u00adli\u00ader, dur\u00ading the found\u00ading of the U.S. as the nation seced\u00aded from Eng\u00adland, Bauer said. He explained the log\u00adic that peo\u00adple are sub\u00adject to the juris\u00addic\u00adtion of the land they are present in. The Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion\u2019s view that chil\u00addren born to nonci\u00adt\u00adi\u00adzens who lack per\u00adma\u00adnent sta\u00adtus is non\u00adsen\u00adsi\u00adcal, he explained. Any\u00adone born in the U.S. is oblig\u00aded to fol\u00adlow U.S. laws and can be pros\u00ade\u00adcut\u00aded for any crimes they com\u00admit \u2014 so they are clear\u00adly sub\u00adject to the U.S.\u2018s juris\u00addic\u00adtion, he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Americans await the Supreme Court's decision on the legality of Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship. The court declared it would begin hearings in the spring, with a decision expected in the summer. Photo by OZinOH on flickr.<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-04-at-12.07.18-AM.png\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-04-at-12.07.18-AM.png\" alt class=\"wp-image-1457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-04-at-12.07.18-AM.png 800w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-04-at-12.07.18-AM-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-04-at-12.07.18-AM-768x581.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">
Amer\u00adi\u00adcans await the Supreme Court\u2019s deci\u00adsion on the legal\u00adi\u00adty of Trump\u2019s exec\u00adu\u00adtive order on birthright cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship. The court declared it would begin hear\u00adings in the spring, with a deci\u00adsion expect\u00aded in the sum\u00admer. Pho\u00adto by OZi\u00adnOH on flickr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis order just rad\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly changed what the courts have rou\u00adtine\u00adly held to be the mean\u00ading of the Four\u00adteenth Amend\u00adment,\u201d Bauer said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Attor\u00adney Gen\u00ader\u00adal William Tong said that the order, if enforced, would raise a slew of ques\u00adtions includ\u00ading whether chil\u00addren born in the U.S. to immi\u00adgrant par\u00adents become state\u00adless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tong\u2019s par\u00adents immi\u00adgrat\u00aded to the U.S. from Chi\u00adna and Tai\u00adwan in the 1960s. He was grant\u00aded cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship because he was born in the U.S. He grew up work\u00ading in his family\u2019s restau\u00adrant in Wethers\u00adfield, Conn. along\u00adside immi\u00adgrants and saw their strong work eth\u00adic first-hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am extra\u00ador\u00addi\u00adnar\u00adi\u00adly grate\u00adful to be an Amer\u00adi\u00adcan and to have been born in this coun\u00adtry and Amer\u00adi\u00adcan by oper\u00ada\u00adtion of the Four\u00adteenth Amend\u00adment,\u201d Tong said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Trump signed the exec\u00adu\u00adtive order on his first day back in office, fed\u00ader\u00adal judges from sev\u00ader\u00adal states issued injunc\u00adtions that tem\u00adporar\u00adi\u00adly blocked it from being imple\u00adment\u00aded. In March, the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion asked the Supreme Court to pro\u00adhib\u00adit low\u00ader courts from doing this. In a 6\u20133 vote, the court reject\u00aded the injunc\u00adtions. In ear\u00adly Octo\u00adber, though, the First Cir\u00adcuit Court of Appeals upheld the Boston dis\u00adtrict court\u2019s injunc\u00adtion and declared Trump\u2019s attempt to end birthright cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship uncon\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Dec. 5, the Supreme Court said it will hear argu\u00adments on birthright cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adship in the spring, with a rul\u00ading expect\u00aded by ear\u00adly sum\u00admer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expanding ICE<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The fed\u00ader\u00adal bud\u00adget bill signed in July allo\u00adcates over $170 bil\u00adlion<\/a> to ICE-relat\u00aded costs over a four-year peri\u00adod to achieve the administration\u2019s goal of deport\u00ading one mil\u00adlion immi\u00adgrants year\u00adly, tripling ICE\u2019s annu\u00adal bud\u00adget and mak\u00ading it the high\u00adest-fund\u00aded fed\u00ader\u00adal law enforce\u00adment agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accord\u00ading to the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion Coun\u00adcil<\/a>, $45 bil\u00adlion is intend\u00aded for build\u00ading new immi\u00adgra\u00adtion deten\u00adtion cen\u00adters such as \u201cAlli\u00adga\u00adtor Alca\u00adtraz,\u201d which began oper\u00ada\u00adtions in Flori\u00adda in July. Anoth\u00ader $46.6 bil\u00adlion was ded\u00adi\u00adcat\u00aded to con\u00adstruct\u00ading the wall at the U.S.-Mexico bor\u00adder.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adgress had already appro\u00adpri\u00adat\u00aded $10 bil\u00adlion for fis\u00adcal year 2025. With these new allo\u00adca\u00adtions, ICE enforce\u00adment received anoth\u00ader $18.7 bil\u00adlion, accord\u00ading to the Bren\u00adnan Cen\u00adter for Jus\u00adtice.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On November 18, 2018 at about 3:15 a.m., CBP officials temporarily suspended processing for all northbound vehicle traffic at the border crossing, as well as northbound pedestrian processing at the Pedestrian East facility.  The Pedestrian West facility and southbound vehicle lanes at San Ysidro were unaffected. At approximately 6:25 a.m., CBP officers resumed processing northbound pedestrian traffic at the Pedestrian East facility, and resumed processing northbound vehicle traffic. CBP officials recommend that persons traveling northbound to the U.S. anticipate possible increased wait times because of the lane closures. The lanes were closed to install additional port hardening materials at the port of entry, to include jersey barriers and concertina wire, to prepare for the potential arrival of thousands of people migrating in a caravan heading towards the border of the United States. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo by Mani Albrecht)<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT-ICE-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT-ICE-1024x683.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-1460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT-ICE-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT-ICE-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT-ICE-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/IMM-CT-ICE.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Unit\u00aded States Cus\u00adtoms and Bor\u00adder Pro\u00adtec\u00adtion offi\u00adcers guards at the Pedes\u00adtri\u00adan East facil\u00adi\u00adty. The allo\u00adca\u00adtion from Trump\u2019s July bill fund\u00aded the growth of Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion and Cus\u00adtoms Enforce\u00adment oper\u00ada\u00adtions, con\u00adtribut\u00ading to the growth of offi\u00adcer pres\u00adence and raids across the coun\u00adtry. Pho\u00adto by Mani Albrecht.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The fed\u00ader\u00adal bud\u00adget bill also changed ben\u00ade\u00adfits avail\u00adable to non-cit\u00adi\u00adzens through fed\u00ader\u00adal food assis\u00adtance and heath care pro\u00adgrams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adals such as refugees, asylees, traf\u00adfick\u00ading vic\u00adtims, human\u00adi\u00adtar\u00adi\u00adan parolees and more who cur\u00adrent\u00adly qual\u00adi\u00adfy for SNAP will no longer be eli\u00adgi\u00adble due to their immi\u00adgra\u00adtion sta\u00adtus,\u201d the Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Depart\u00adment of Social Ser\u00advices stat\u00aded in July on its web\u00adsite. The afore\u00admen\u00adtioned groups will also no longer be eli\u00adgi\u00adble for HUSKY Health, the state\u2019s Med\u00adic\u00adaid pro\u00adgram, as of Oct. 1, 2026, accord\u00ading to the web\u00adsite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecticut Trust Act<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut state law restricts local and state law enforce\u00adment from coop\u00ader\u00adat\u00ading with ICE agents, lead\u00ading Trump to brand Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut as a \u201csanc\u00adtu\u00adary\u201d state and threat\u00aden\u00ading to pun\u00adish<\/a> munic\u00adi\u00adpal\u00adi\u00adties with a loss of fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading if they don\u2019t assist<\/a> ICE offi\u00adcers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Trust Act was enact\u00aded in 2013 to estab\u00adlish guid\u00adance about when state and local law enforce\u00adment would acknowl\u00adedge requests from ICE. The act pro\u00adhibits law enforce\u00adment from arrest\u00ading or detain\u00ading an indi\u00advid\u00adual unless that per\u00adson has been con\u00advict\u00aded of a seri\u00adous felony or is on a ter\u00adror\u00adist watch list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Trust Act main\u00adtains Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut\u2019s sov\u00ader\u00adeign\u00adty by pre\u00advent\u00ading dep\u00adu\u00adti\u00adza\u00adtion of local and state law enforce\u00adment for immi\u00adgra\u00adtion enforce\u00adment,\u201d Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Spe\u00adcial Coun\u00adsel for Civ\u00adil Rights Janelle Medeiros wrote in a Jan\u00adu\u00adary 2025 mem\u00ado\u00adran\u00addum<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Publicly released footage from U.S. Department of Homeland Security shows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers removing Guatemalan migrants. (Photo by ICE Office of Public Affairs)<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout-1024x645.png\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout-1024x645.png\" alt class=\"wp-image-246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout-1024x645.png 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout-300x189.png 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout-768x484.png 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout.png 1450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Pub\u00adlicly released footage from U.S. Depart\u00adment of Home\u00adland Secu\u00adri\u00adty shows U.S. Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion and Cus\u00adtoms Enforce\u00adment (ICE) offi\u00adcers remov\u00ading Guatemalan migrants. Pho\u00adto from ICE Office of Pub\u00adlic Affairs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion attor\u00adney Edwin Colon said that the leg\u00adis\u00adla\u00adture requires police depart\u00adments and oth\u00ader state and gov\u00adern\u00adment orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions to com\u00adply with the statute. How\u00adev\u00ader, some exemp\u00adtions apply, such as when police deal with ter\u00adror\u00adists. While Trump por\u00adtrays such laws as attempts to pro\u00adtect ille\u00adgal immi\u00adgrants, Colon said the laws are impor\u00adtant to pro\u00adtect the larg\u00ader com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou want your neigh\u00adbors, regard\u00adless of sta\u00adtus, to be able to feel com\u00adfort\u00adable and safe in report\u00ading crim\u00adi\u00adnal acts that hap\u00adpen in your com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty,\u201d Colon said. \u201cYou want that neigh\u00adbor who suf\u00adfered an assault to be able to report to a police depart\u00adment that the assault occurred, so it does\u00adn\u2019t hap\u00adpen to their neigh\u00adbor next door.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut police depart\u00adments con\u00adtact\u00aded for this arti\u00adcle con\u00adfirmed their com\u00adpli\u00adance with the Trust Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen Troop\u00aders inter\u00adact with mem\u00adbers of the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty, they do not have knowl\u00adedge of an individual\u2019s immi\u00adgra\u00adtion sta\u00adtus,\u201d an email from the Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut State Police\u2019s media rela\u00adtions unit stat\u00aded. \u201cAs such, their inter\u00adac\u00adtions remain fair and unbi\u00adased.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UConn Police Depart\u00adment Capt. Matthew Zadrows\u00adki said in an email that their work \u201cis in line with the Trust Act.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 90 groups in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut com\u00admit\u00adted to immi\u00adgrant rights sent a let\u00adter to state law\u00admak\u00aders in ear\u00adly Sep\u00adtem\u00adber call\u00ading for action to strength\u00aden the Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Trust Act. The calls to action includ\u00aded pro\u00adhibit\u00ading ICE arrests at cour\u00adt\u00adhous\u00ades, includ\u00ading trav\u00adel to and from them, and pro\u00adhibit\u00ading any and all indi\u00adrect police assis\u00adtance to ICE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In ear\u00adly Novem\u00adber, Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut law\u00admak\u00aders passed and Gov. Ned Lam\u00adont signed House Bill 8004<\/a>,  which pro\u00adhibits most civ\u00adil immi\u00adgra\u00adtion arrests in state cour\u00adt\u00adhous\u00ades. Addi\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adly, the law restricts Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut from shar\u00ading per\u00adson\u00adal infor\u00adma\u00adtion with fed\u00ader\u00adal author\u00adi\u00adties, such as any infor\u00adma\u00adtion that reveals an indi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adal\u2019s loca\u00adtion, includ\u00ading house, school and work address\u00ades \u2013 except when required by state or fed\u00ader\u00adal law.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new law also pro\u00adhibits law enforce\u00adment offi\u00adcers \u2013 includ\u00ading ICE agents \u2013 from wear\u00ading masks while car\u00adry\u00ading out their duties if they don\u2019t have a med\u00adical exemp\u00adtion.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Rep. John Lar\u00adson, a Demo\u00adc\u00adrat rep\u00adre\u00adsent\u00ading Connecticut\u2019s First Dis\u00adtrict, intro\u00adduced a bill in Con\u00adgress called the \u201cNo Secret Police Act,\u201d<\/a> which would pro\u00adhib\u00adit ICE agents from wear\u00ading masks while per\u00adform\u00ading enforce\u00adment duties. Accord\u00ading to Home\u00adland Secu\u00adri\u00adty, ICE offi\u00adcers wear masks to pre\u00advent dox\u00ading.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll ICE law enforce\u00adment offi\u00adcers car\u00adry badges and cre\u00adden\u00adtials and will iden\u00adti\u00adfy them\u00adselves when required for pub\u00adlic safe\u00adty or legal neces\u00adsi\u00adty,\u201d accord\u00ading to ICE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lar\u00adson said that ICE agents wear\u00ading masks give polic\u00ading a bad name.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat police force do you know that wears black masks and comes up and ter\u00adror\u00adizes peo\u00adple, and strikes fear?\u201d Lar\u00adson said in an inter\u00adview. \u201cThis is not the Amer\u00adi\u00adca that it should be, and it cer\u00adtain\u00adly isn\u2019t con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal either.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Depart\u00adment of Home\u00adland Secu\u00adri\u00adty blast\u00aded Lar\u00adson for his com\u00adments call\u00ading ICE agents \u201cthe SS\u201d and \u201cthe Gestapo\u201d for arrest\u00ading ille\u00adgal immi\u00adgrants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion Detain\u00ader form tak\u00aden at a deten\u00adtion facil\u00adi\u00adty. An ele\u00advat\u00aded ICE pres\u00adence has Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut res\u00adi\u00addents on edge despite it being a des\u00adig\u00adnat\u00aded sanc\u00adtu\u00adary state and the Trust Act. Pho\u00adto from U.S. Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion and Cus\u00adtoms Enforce\u00adment on flickr. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In a mid-Sep\u00adtem\u00adber press release, the U.S. Depart\u00adment of Home\u00adland Secu\u00adri\u00adty said that there is a 1000% increase in ICE offi\u00adcer assaults that it blamed on \u201chate\u00adful rhetoric.\u201d It named Lar\u00adson, oth\u00ader democ\u00adrats and left-lean\u00ading orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions in the press release.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis demo\u00adniza\u00adtion is inspir\u00ading vio\u00adlence across the coun\u00adtry,\u201d Assis\u00adtant Sec\u00adre\u00adtary for Pub\u00adlic Affairs Tri\u00adcia McLaugh\u00adlin said in the release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lar\u00adson said he is unde\u00adterred.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny time you\u2019re being sin\u00adgled out by the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion, giv\u00aden his per\u00adfor\u00admance and what he has done, and the bru\u00adtal nature of what tran\u00adspired in my dis\u00adtrict, I wear it as a badge of hon\u00ador,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s impor\u00adtant that peo\u00adple speak out when we see wrong.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion attor\u00adney Dana Bucin said she believes the U.S. immi\u00adgra\u00adtion sys\u00adtem has been bro\u00adken for many years, enabling Trump\u2019s mas\u00adsive depor\u00adta\u00adtion plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first guilt that I assign is to us, the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan peo\u00adple. There would be no Trump abus\u00ades if it weren\u2019t for the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan peo\u00adple hav\u00ading failed their duty to cre\u00adate a fair and equi\u00adtable immi\u00adgra\u00adtion leg\u00adisla\u00adtive frame\u00adwork,\u201d she said. \u201cWe already deliv\u00adered to this admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion a bro\u00adken set of laws that the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion can just abuse and inflict on immi\u00adgrants.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Anna Heqi\u00admi & Kar\u00adla PerezU\u00adConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism Two high school stu\u00addents. Eigh\u00adteen minors. Hun\u00addreds of arrests in near\u00adly 20 dif\u00adfer\u00adent towns. Ramped up immi\u00adgra\u00adtion enforce\u00adment efforts have affect\u00aded com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties across Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut.   In just the first six months of Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump\u2019s sec\u00adond term, Immi\u00adgra\u00adtion and Cus\u00adtoms Enforce\u00adment made almost 400 arrests in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, accord\u00ading to the Depor\u00adta\u00adtion Data Project. While the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion claimed it would tar\u00adget \u201cthe worst of the worst\u201d immi\u00adgrants, ICE has instead cast a broad net in [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":976,"featured_media":1617,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[84,35,82,80,83,81,34,36,31],"class_list":["post-510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-immigration","tag-aclu","tag-birthright-citizenship","tag-ct-trust-act","tag-donald-trump","tag-due-process","tag-ice","tag-immigration","tag-refugees","tag-uconn"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/ICE_video_screengrab-scaled.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":512,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/ct-communities-push-back-against-deportations\/","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":0},"title":"Communities push back against deportations","author":"Anna Heqimi","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Anna HeqimiUConn Journalism Knocking on doors in an immigrant neighborhood\u00a0on a recent fall afternoon,\u00a0Selize\u00a0Mendes\u00a0was\u00a0on a mission to\u00a0inform residents\u00a0about\u00a0their constitutional rights.\u00a0 Selize Mendes places an informational packet provided by Danbury Unites for Immigrants near a neighbor's door on Nov. 8, 2025. 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(ICE Office of Public Affairs) The Connecticut Treasurer\u2019s office is scheduled to meet this week with one of its investment funds, Global Infrastructure\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Immigration"","block_context":{"text":"Immigration","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/immigration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/10\/ICE-flight-handout.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":334,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/uncertainty-roils-schools-as-trump-targets-k-12\/","url_meta":{"origin":510,"position":2},"title":"Uncertainty roils schools as Trump targets K\u201112","author":"Bridget Bronsdon","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"It started almost right away. Within nine days of President Donald Trump\u2019s return to office, he set his sights on education.","rel":"","context":"In "Education"","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-SCHOOLS-West-hartford-busses.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-SCHOOLS-West-hartford-busses.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-SCHOOLS-West-hartford-busses.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-SCHOOLS-West-hartford-busses.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, 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annually. \u00a0Students\u00a0say that\u00a0aggressive\u00a0roundups\u00a0around the country are\u00a0causing fear and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Immigration"","block_context":{"text":"Immigration","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/immigration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-UCONNSTUDENTS-Polance-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-UCONNSTUDENTS-Polance-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-UCONNSTUDENTS-Polance-001.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMM-UCONNSTUDENTS-Polance-001.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, 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