Tong said Miller is trying to "bully and intimidate" Connecticut, and promised to stand up to him during yet another meeting about protecting illegals from the Trump Administration...

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CT AG William Tong appeared at a meeting in Bridgeport last night with Mayor Joe Ganim, Police Chief Roderick Porter, Bridgeport Acting Superintendent Dr. Royce Avery, CIRI Director of Immigration Legal Services Carol Sennett, and Mollie Melbourne, the CEO of Southwest Community Health Center in Bridgeport.

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Monette Ferguson of the Alliance for Community Empowerment and included an appearance by Bridgeport State Sen. Herron Keyon Gaston.

The purpose of the meeting was to talk about how the Attorney General's office, police, public schools, and local organizations that support both legal and illegal immigrants will respond to Trump's immigration plans.

It was like déjà vu.

Exactly a month ago, Tong appeared at a meeting in New Haven with the local mayor, police chief, superintendent and a couple of attorneys focused on helping legal and illegal immigrants in Connecticut.

The agenda for the meetings was essentially the same.

Tong repeated much of the same narrative he shared in the New Haven meeting, connected with the audience by telling his family's immigration story, and even made the same corny "joke" except this time he said America runs on "Dunkin and immigrants" instead of "Dunkin and undocumented."

Mayor Ganim reminded folks that Bridgeport is a "Welcoming City" for illegals, much like New Haven.

Melbourne promised that HUSKY Insurance doesn't track immigration status in records, so there is no need to worry if you are illegal and seeking health care under HUSKY; they're not going to tell ICE.

Tong told people what the Trust Act is and isn't and clarified why he doesn't use the term "sanctuary".

"I know there's a lot of concern and people are anxious and there's a lot of fear out there and I don't think it does anybody any good for me to tell you it's all going to be okay," said Tong. "It's going to be ugly."

Tong said he's taking Trump "at his word" and believes Trump is going to make good on his campaign promises about immigration.

"Yes, we're at risk. We're all at risk," he lamented, but told illegals not to go underground or hide, and to keep their children in school.

"The policy of the state of Connecticut is to protect immigrant families, full stop... but the federal government has broad authority over immigration," said Tong. He explained immigration is "their job, not our job" so he won't let ICE "commandeer" any local police resources.

Police Chief Porter promised not to cooperate with ICE and doesn't seem to view illegal immigration as a crime.

A question arose about whether illegals with Connecticut drivers licenses are at risk of losing their license under the Trump Admin, and Tong assured them "we think it's safer if everyone has drivers licenses, documented or undocumented."

A representative from the Americares free clinic in Bridgeport stepped up with a question.

She said the vast majority of Americares patients are illegal, and expressed concern because Americares "lost quite a few patients" when ICE "took them" during previous raids.

She asked Chief Porter, "Is there something being set up within the police department to ensure safety for organizations who are providing these services and this care [to illegals] so that we can continue to do that?"

Chief Porter said it was an "excellent question" and offered to send police to the Americares office to tell them how to protect clients in a "safe and secure" way.

Another person from the audience asked if there would be protections for landlords renting to illegals.

"We have a lot of undocumented families who need a roof over their head," she said after complaining that Trump "prohibited people from renting" to illegals.

Tong promised, "we're not going to let anybody violate Connecticut state anti-discrimination laws" when it comes to renting. He suggested it was misinformation or disinformation that Trump was "not letting people rent to undocumented people" and directed anyone with questions to CIRI, the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants.

Tong was asked about the letter sent to Gov. Ned Lamont by Stephen Miller from America First Legal.

The letter warned that Connecticut’s sanctuary policies in the Trust Act are criminal and “make a mockery of American democracy and demonstrate a shocking disrespect for the rule of law.” It also said that Lamont and his henchmen “could potentially face up to 20 years in prison for any misleading actions that help an alien to avoid removal proceedings.”

Tong described Miller as the guy leading Trump's "efforts in mass deportation against immigrants and immigrant communities."

"Stephen Miller sent a letter to our governor threatening him. Okay. Stephen Miller is not a law enforcement official, he's not elected official, he's not a member of the Department of Justice. He has no authority whatsoever," charged Tong.

"He's trying to intimidate us. He's trying to intimidate the Governor," said a worried Tong. He reiterated that "people like Stephen Miller" and others are going "to try to bully us and intimidate us" and then promised to stand up to them.

Tong also referenced the "state preparedness plan" that offers guidance on how to prepare your community for the incoming Trump administration.

He said it was important for folks to know "who is on your calling tree if something goes down" and to make sure your immigration lawyers are on speed dial.

"We expect the new Administration to be more aggressive. And we think that's gonna be really hard," said Tong.

Tong said he can't prevent ICE from showing up at your door, and advised people to comply. But he recommended calling the mayor or police if ICE "isn't treating you right."

The Acting Superintendent added that "for the most part schools are safe havens" and said he's holding a community forum on January 16th to address questions and concerns from public school parents.

The next question was about whether there was legislation to protect illegal laborers.

Tong responded by saying it was against the law to make someone work for you and not pay them, and promised that wouldn't change.

Then Tong was asked about potential legal consequences for people who provide services to illegals.

"You're going to hear a lot about that on social media right now. There's a lot of armchair lawyers and armchair prosecutors who are throwing around all these different ideas that they can prosecute you for," says Tong who admits he isn't sure how "they are going to come at this."

"We know they are going to be aggressive. We know they are going to try theories they haven't tried before, and if they do, I'm going to try to stop them," assured Tong. "But I can't guarantee... that there isn't exposure. Yes, there's exposure."

"When somebody is talking as aggressive as they are... you have to take them seriously," cautions Tong.

"There is exposure, but again, don't listen to everything you see and hear," he said. "I think for them to come out here and try to go after not-for-profit organizations and volunteers and people providing services [to illegals], that's a very heavy lift."

"They need law enforcement officials. They need people willing to carry that out. That's going to be very difficult for them to pull off. That's how I see it," asserted Tong.

Callie Gale Heilmann, the founder and president of left wing activism organization Bridgeport Generation Now, claimed that during the first Trump administration, ICE was "stealing" and "kidnapping" illegals in the middle of the night, under the cover of darkness.

She asked Tong about deportation defense funds to protect illegals.

"During the first Trump Administration, sure, we saw the Muslim ban, the travel ban. We saw him try to build a border wall. We saw aggressive enforcement," said Tong as he painted a picture of illegals holed up in a church or courthouse, barricaded behind a door, with people desperately trying to protect them from getting deported.

Tong thinks it's going to be "much worse" and "more aggressive" this time around. He also anticipates the Trump admin will "be much more physically muscular in what they do. They're going to demand to get led into places and they're going to use their authority."

Of course, this exactly one of the reasons why people hired Trump again... to make illegal immigration illegal.

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