U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has introduced a bill that would stop immigration enforcement from targeting people at schools, hospitals, churches and courthouses.
Blumenthal says reports that ICE detained a father dropping his children off at school in California have created a climate of fear.
Current policies at Immigration and Customs Enforcement discourage agents from targeting schools and churches. Those policies were put in place under the Obama administration.
Blumenthal’s bill would make that informal policy law. It would also add courthouses to the list of “sensitive locations” that immigration agents should avoid.
ICE agents took a man into custody at a courthouse in Danbury earlier this year. Blumenthal says his bill would help victims and witnesses of crimes feel safer going court to seek justice for crimes.
Blumenthal’s bill has 10 Democratic co-sponsors and no Republicans on board.
