Looney, Duff Commend Judicial Branch for Protecting Court Access from Trump’s ICE Forces

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hugh McQuaid | hugh.mcquaid@cga.ct.gov

HARTFORD — Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today praised the Connecticut Judicial Branch for launching a new Remote Events page at jud.ct.gov/join, giving residents a way to participate in court hearings virtually, including those looking to minimize their risk of exposure to ICE raids at courthouses.

The Judicial Branch developed the page following conversations with the senators earlier this session about concrete steps the courts could take to protect Connecticut residents. The page will be available in multiple languages, and the Judicial Branch is actively working to make that a reality.

“Government gets criticized for bureaucratic delay, but in this case, the Connecticut Judicial Branch listened to our concerns about people missing court appearances because they are terrified of ICE and they didn’t wait for the General Assembly to pass a law to make its proceedings more accessible for all Connecticut residents, including those living in fear of the Trump regime’s lawless immigration forces,” Senators Looney and Duff said. “We think we should be proud of the Judicial Branch’s responsiveness and applaud our Judiciary’s use of technology to solve problems as they arise.”

The new resource offers guidance for each court discipline and will soon be accessible via a dedicated button on the Judicial Branch’s most-visited webpages. By expanding remote access to court proceedings, the Judicial Branch is removing a significant barrier for immigrants and mixed-status families who might otherwise avoid courthouse appearances out of fear of ICE.