Raheem Mullins, chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, announced a new policy on Tuesday banning ICE and other law enforcement agents from wearing masks in state courthouses.
The policy also bans warrantless arrests on courthouse property.
"Judges, staff, litigants, members of the public, they all must be able to conduct their business in our courthouses without fear of disruption,” Mullins said.
He said the policy was made in consultation with ICE, Gov. Ned Lamont and state legislative leaders.
Lamont said it's important not to have masked law enforcement in courthouses.
“It's intimidating. We want to identify people who are there so that people are safe and we know who’s in the courthouse,” he said.
State Representative Steve Strafstrom of Bridgeport, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, said the federal district courts in Connecticut already have a similar policy.
“ICE has honored that request from the District Court here in Connecticut, and we are hoping that ICE will similarly honor the request here,” Strafstrom said.
Stafstrom said it's also like policies adopted by neighboring states, including New York and Massachusetts.
