Norwich Mayor Condemns ICE Activities, Faces Backlash and Threats

Indian-origin mayor of Connecticut's Norwich, Swarnjit Singh, said ICE is not welcome in their city.

The mayor of Norwich, a city in Connecticut, issued a detailed statement condemning ICE activities around the city and asserting that the city administration will not support ICE. The Indian-origin mayor, Swarnjit Singh, is also the first Sikh mayor of the city and his support for the immigrants drew flak on social media, with many commenting that he should be deported first. In his statement, Singh said no one in Norwich should be afraid to go to work, send their children to school, or interact with our local police because of their immigration status. "I have always and will always support the immigrant community of Norwich," he said, adding that the Norwich Police Department (NPD) follows the CT Trust Act and they do not stop individuals because of their immigration status and do not assist or facilitate ICE enforcement. "Following ICE’s recent activity in Norwich, I followed up with community leaders, local organizations, and state officials who work with these communities directly to reaffirm the City’s commitment to ensuring that all residents feel safe and supported, while coordinating the proper safety plans moving forward," Singh said in his statement.

"I want our immigrant communities to know that they are part of Norwich, and we will continue to listen, communicate, and work together to make sure people feel safe and supported. My position is the same as Governor Lamont’s, 'ICE, go home. You are not welcomed here'," his statement read. One social media handle noted that Singh himself was not born in America and came to the US as an international student in 2007. "A foreign-born man is now using his power and unconstitutional liberal "laws" to try and make sure federal agents cannot do their jobs in his city - despite the fact that federal law supersedes state law. This is not compassion. This is a middle finger to every citizen who follows the rules. He should be denaturalized and deported. It's time to pass a federal law that says foreign-born individuals cannot be elected to ANY office," the comment said. Singh recently received threats targeting him and his family, which the police defined as a hate crime.