A federal board of appeals has terminated the deportation proceedings of Wayzaro Walton, a Connecticut resident and green card holder.
Walton received a full pardon for shoplifting convictions from the state’s parole board in January. ICE officials said her pardon was invalid since it was not issued by the governor.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the ruling shows the state’s pardon system is legitimate.
“I want to thank the Board of Immigration Appeals for recognizing Connecticut as a sovereign state, has the right and prerogative to determine how and when we’re going to pardon people, and for making sure the federal government respects those pardons.”
Connecticut had filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and several other federal agencies to try to force immigration officials to recognize the state’s pardon power.
