This chart is not my own. It is not my opinion, it is simply facts. It lists deportation by type leading into 2024.
The large purple posts are deportations that are simple: they were caught at the border, and returned.
The powder blue portion are those deported from further inside the country. We see this total skyrocket under Obama, as a part of Democrats platform when Obama took office was removing those with criminal records.
You see that ramp up under Obama, hold to some extent under Trump’s first term, then drop off under Biden, largely due to the pandemic. That neon green you see in Bidens years are those who were not allowed in during Covid.
Those are facts. Interpret as you will.
And now this is my opinion.
The state is now threatening to claw back funds from Avelo Airlines, even while Avelo makes large investments in growing Tweed New Haven Regional Airport and serving the New Haven area and state, due to its contract with the Federal Government to aid in deportation efforts. They are proposing a law that would not allow a company to be awarded a bid on a state contract or get state grants if that company assists deportation efforts
So first, why now? Why not back in 2008 when Obama set the standard? Why not a law passed then in response to Obamas massive deportation effort?
And second, is this going to be a state that welcomes economic development, but we will support you only if you don’t work with the federal government on items we may not like at that moment? Are we a pro-business state, but only if your beliefs that day are in like with Connecticut Office of the Attorney General Tong?
Are we really ok charging taxpayers more to move to the next bidder if the low bidder on a contract owns a jail that houses illegal immigrants, or happens to do something Connecticut government doesn’t like? Does this standard change on the whims of the Office of Governor Ned Lamont? Or Attorney General? Maybe the Comptroller?
What business in their right mind will come to invest in CT when the standard can change, including a standard to disallow very legal activity undertaken by the Federal Government, and done so for decades across party lines?