Connecticut Attorney General Joins Coalition to Challenge Unconstitutional Immigration Stops

Strategic Insights -

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has issued a press release announcing his support for litigation challenging the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) unconstitutional and unlawful stops of Southern California residents during immigration sweeps. This move comes as part of a coalition of 17 attorneys general who have submitted an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit. The brief argues that the federal government's conduct is likely unlawful and seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent ongoing harms to the states and their residents.

Key Takeaways:

  • Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief challenging ICE and CBP's unconstitutional immigration stops in Southern California.
  • The brief argues that the federal government's conduct is likely unlawful and seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent ongoing harms to the states and their residents.
  • The lawsuit comes amid the Trump Administration's campaign of conducting aggressive, militaristic immigration raids that have terrified immigrant and non-immigrant residents alike.
  • The amicus brief notes that "Operation Wetback," a similar immigration enforcement initiative in 1954, resulted in the mass arrest and deportation of 300,000 people, including U.S. citizens.
  • "Operation Wetback" was the first of two states targeted for immigration enforcement under the initiative and was later praised by President Donald Trump as a model for an aggressive and militarized crackdown on undocumented immigration.

Statistics:

  • 300,000 people were mass arrested and deported during "Operation Wetback" in 1954, including U.S. citizens.
  • 17 attorneys general have joined the coalition in support of the lawsuit, including Connecticut, California, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.

Sources:

  • PFMLitigationChallengingICEandCBPU.S.(Aug19,2025)-https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2025-press-releases/unconstitutional-immigration-stops-in-southern-california
  • Connecticut Attorney General, "Unconstitutional Immigration Stops in Southern California" (press release, Aug 20, 2025)
  • A copy of the amicus brief is available here.