FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe O’Leary | Joe.OLeary@cga.ct.gov | 508-479-4969

September 22, 2026

Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) welcomed the announcement that the Community Investment Fund Board endorsed $5.5 million in total support for two major East Hartford projects, including the renovation of several properties and the continued redevelopment of a major plaza into housing units.

The funding, which needs to be finalized by the State Bond Commission, would include $2.5 million for the renovation of 21, 33 and 35 Church Street in East Hartford and $3 million for the continued redevelopment of 111 Founders Plaza.

“East Hartford’s continued commitment to reusing and redeveloping locations to support the community is paying off, and these investments are the latest evidence of that,” said Sen. Anwar. “I’m delighted to know new funding is helping create new educational opportunities for students with particular needs and infuse the Waterfront with more business and life. These projects will benefit the local community in a number of ways, and I am looking forward to their completion.”

The Ben Bronz Academy is expected to receive $2.5 million to support the acquisition and renovation of the Church Street properties, intending to move from its former leased facility in West Hartford to the new site. The Academy empowers students with significant learning disabilities through personalized, evidence-based education.

The new renovations will support installing HVAC systems, renovating and updating the kitchen, and adding lift access to the music area to support the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Further work will include ADA accessibility, lead paint abatement and constructing classrooms and additional bathrooms in the property. Once complete, the school hopes to support up to 144 students, growing its enrollment from a current 57.

The town of East Hartford, working with the 111 Founders Plaza owners and development team, will use $3 million to further support the redevelopment of the location into up to 260 modern residential apartments in the Riverfront district. Interior demolition and construction at the site are expected to take place from 2027 to 2029 with a hope to open between 2029 and 2030.

The project is expected to address the region’s housing shortage and create a vibrant residential presence along the Riverfront.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe O’Leary | Joe.OLeary@cga.ct.gov | 508-479-4969

September 16, 2026

This week, with the knowledge that refugee resettlement programs are frozen at the federal level for countless applicants from around the world and their continued closure puts countless people at risk of persecution and harm, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) addressed President Trump in an official letter imploring him to reopen that program to protect religious minorities, including Christians, under risk in other countries.

Speaking on behalf of a constituent of his from South Windsor, Sen. Anwar sent the letter seeking the reopening of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program to “ensure that people facing serious religious persecution have an opportunity to seek safety in the United States.”

Since Trump’s retaking of the White House in January 2025, the United States suspended refugee entry into the United States, with a maximum cap of 7,500 refugees admitted into the United States in the 2026 fiscal year. On top of this near-total ending of refugee intake, the Department of Homeland Security is increasingly targeting parole processes and protections from individuals receiving refuge from a number of countries and has paused immigrant visa processing for more than 70 countries.

According to Forbes, a recent report found the Trump administration admitted no persecuted Christians as refugees in the 2026 fiscal year, despite one in seven Christians facing persecution globally. That contrasts with the Trump administration’s formation of a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, a White House Faith Office and a Religious Liberty Commission, as well as Trump declaring Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” in October 2025 in response to the killings of “thousands of Christians.”

“Religious freedom is one of the principles upon which our nation was built,” wrote Sen. Anwar. “Whatever our faith, we should be able to recognize the humanity of someone who is being threatened because of theirs.”

The letter points out that Christians are often religious minorities in other countries, adding to the plight of millions around the world who are religious minorities and cannot safely practice their beliefs without risk of threat.

September 15, 2026

Dear President Trump,

I am writing on behalf of a constituent from South Windsor, Connecticut, who reached out to me with deep concern about people around the world who are being persecuted because of their faith and are unable to find a safe place to go.

I respectfully ask your administration to reopen the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program more broadly and ensure that people facing serious religious persecution have an opportunity to seek safety in the United States.

This is particularly important for Christians and other religious minorities living in countries where practicing their faith can put their freedom, safety and even their lives at risk. At a time when millions of people around the world have been forced from their homes, we should not forget those who are being persecuted simply because of how they worship.

I recognize the importance of protecting our national security and making sure that individuals entering our country are appropriately screened and vetted. I believe we can do that while still remaining a country that provides refuge to people genuinely fleeing religious persecution.

As your administration develops the refugee admissions policy for Fiscal Year 2027, I respectfully ask that Christians and other religious minorities fleeing persecution be given meaningful consideration and an opportunity to seek refuge in the United States.

Religious freedom is one of the principles upon which our nation was built. Whatever our faith, we should be able to recognize the humanity of someone who is being threatened because of theirs.

Thank you for considering the concerns of my constituent and this request!

Respectfully
Saud Anwar, MD
State Senator, Third Senate District, State of Connecticut