Non-citizen police officers approved after Dem says ICE 'invasion' 'sends a message'

After a week of ICE raids, the Democrat-dominated City Council of Danbury, Connecticut, voted nearly unanimously to approve non-citizen legal residents serving as police officers.

Under the new guidance, approved in an 18-2 vote, non-citizen legal residents and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients living in Danbury are allowed to serve as police officers in Danbury.

One city council member, Democrat Joe Britton, remarked that the vote "sends a message to our immigrant community at large that you are welcome in Danbury."

ICE operations in the area resulted in more than 60 arrests, according to local reports. The arrests prompted public outrage in the community, including from city officials such as Britton, who called the raids "frightening."

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The only two council members to vote against the measure were Republicans, while the council’s 17 Democrats and one Republican voted in favor.

Before the vote, Britton said that "what we have here is an opportunity." He noted that "though this definitely wasn’t planned to be on the agenda on the end of a federal invasion of immigration officials in Danbury … I do think it's timely."

"There is no reason to vote against this, and if you do vote against this, I truly question your moral compass," he added.

Britton emphasized that this change "is legal, it's allowed" and said it has been recommended.

Britton told Fox News Digital that "Danbury is an immigrant city, and I believe someone who is lawfully here, committed to our community, and willing to raise their hand and take an oath to protect and serve should have the opportunity to do so."

He added that "this change does not lower Danbury’s standards for becoming a police officer. It simply allows otherwise qualified lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients to apply and compete for these positions."

He noted that "every applicant must still satisfy the same training, background, character, and certification requirements required of any other officer," saying, "This was about expanding the pool of qualified applicants while maintaining the same high standards our residents expect from their police department."

Similarly, Taylor O'Brien, a spokesperson for the Danbury city government, told Fox News Digital that council "amended its ordinance in accordance with Connecticut's Police Officer Standards and Training Council, allowing legal permanent residents and DACA recipients to apply to become officers in the Danbury Police Department."

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O'Brien said that "this standard is followed by over 30 municipalities in Connecticut and several states across the country" and that it "opens Danbury's applicant pool to otherwise qualified candidates, including legal Danbury residents, who are currently applying to be police officers in other communities."

In 2020, the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council "partially waived" the citizenship requirement, extending eligibility for law enforcement candidates in Connecticut to lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients, according to the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

O'Brien added that Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves, a Democrat, "ensures Danbury maintains a rigorous hiring process for our Police Officers," adding that "this amendment should encourage qualified residents from the Danbury community to apply to serve the City they call home."

According to the Danbury News Times, Alves himself immigrated to the U.S. as an "undocumented child" and gained citizenship in 2017.

The outlet quoted Alves saying he is "glad the City Council approved" the measure. Alves emphasized that "the standards are not being lowered" and that "every applicant still has to meet the same rigorous background, training, fitness and professional standards required of any Danbury police officer."

"What we are doing is giving qualified people an opportunity to compete for the job," said Alves. "For a diverse city like Danbury, it strengthens our recruitment pool and gives us another opportunity to hire talented people who understand and care about the community they want to serve."

Fox News Digital reached out to Britton for additional comment.

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Last year, ICE arrested two illegal immigrants who were serving as police officers. On July 25, 2025, Jamaican national Jon Luke Evans, who was serving as a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Police Department, was arrested on charges related to unlawfully attempting to purchase a gun. Then, on Oct. 15, Radule Bojovic, of Montenegro, who was serving as a police officer with the Hanover Park, Illinois, Police Department, was arrested during Operation Midway Blitz.

Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.