Danbury City Council approves non-citizen police officer eligibility

The Danbury, Connecticut City Council has voted 18-2 to allow non-citizen legal residents and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to serve as police officers. The measure was supported by 17 Democrats and one Republican, while two Republicans voted against it.

The decision follows recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the area that resulted in more than 60 arrests, sparking local outcry and protests. Councilman Joe Britton stated the vote “sends a message to our immigrant community at large that you are welcome in Danbury” and described the move as an opportunity to expand the recruitment pool.

This ordinance aligns with existing policies in Connecticut, where the state’s Police Officer Standards and Training Council partially waived citizenship requirements for law enforcement candidates in 2020.