This bill would reduce the maximum sentence for a misdemeanor offense by one day, from 365 days to 364, in an effort to protect immigrants from unnecessary Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) involvement. Right now, if an undocumented person in Connecticut is convicted of a misdemeanor that carries a sentence of 365 days, they could be referred to ICE and face deportation. In Connecticut, this kind of sentence could come from something as small as failure to appear in court for a motor vehicle violation because of a bad address.
Tearing someone away from the country they call home based solely on a single misdemeanor conviction does not reflect Connecticut’s values. It is a life-altering, disproportionate punishment that does not fit in a modern justice system.
