Month: May 2023

CALL FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS TO IMMIGRATION PROCESS

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) on Wednesday sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to request the agency expedite processing Notices to Appear (NTA). With a growing number of people coming to the U.S.-Mexico border and Title 42 set to expire next week, Murphy and Lankford are pushing the administration to take immediate steps to improve the immigration system.

“We write to you today to request that you take appropriate steps to expedite the issuance of Notices to Appear (NTA) to noncitizens who are in US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. Additionally, we request that you seriously consider exercising your authority under 8 C.F.R. § 2.1 to authorize Border Patrol Processing Coordinators (BPCC) and other appropriate law enforcement support staff to issue a NTA to individuals subject to removal pursuant to immigration laws. We believe permitting BPPC, after proper training and with supervisor approval, to issue NTAs while noncitizens are in the physical custody of CBP, would save resources for DHS and ultimately strengthen security on our borders as more Border Patrol Agents are able to swiftly return to the field,” the senators wrote.

The senators continued, “In light of these concerns, we believe that the Department should prioritize the expeditious issuance of NTAs, particularly as it is preparing for the unwinding of the Title 42 order.”

Earlier this year, Murphy and Lankford traveled on a bipartisan delegation to the Southwest border to learn about the security, humanitarian, and economic challenges facing border communities as well as asylum seekers. The delegation met with local law enforcement, community leaders, and non-profits that accept and care for asylum seekers leaving CBP custody.

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Fairfield News: Crash To Close Black Rock Turnpike

2023-05-04@9:15pm– A single-car crash into a utility on Black Rock Turnpike at Old Black Rock Turnpike. Police radio reports say that when UI comes on the scene to change the pole this area of Black Rock Turnpike will need to be closed.

May the 4th Be With You…

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Seymour News: Fire At Community Center

UPDATE- Possible fire in a vent.

2023-05-04@5:09pm–Seymour CT– #ctfire– Report of a working fire at the community center on Pine Street. Firefighters were there earlier this afternoon for a smell of electrical burning. All apparatus is being directed to the Derby Avenue side of the building.

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Trumbull News: Teens Arrested After Abandoning Car In Town

Trumbull News: On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, Trumbull police arrested four teenagers after they were observed attempting to enter parked vehicles in the Trumbull Marriott parking lot. The suspects had abandoned a stolen vehicle and ran from officers. Two 13-year-old males, one 14-year-old male, and one 15-year-old male, all from New Haven, were arrested and charged for the crimes in this incident.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., the Trumbull police were notified of four suspects pulling on car door handles in the parking lot of the Marriott on Hawley Lane. A responding officer observed the juveniles, matching the description of the suspects, leaving the area and walking through the parking lot. The officer told them to stop, but they ran away through the nearby woods toward Target. The group of teens eventually ran into Best Buy where they were finally apprehended by police.

Officers checking the area located a red 2013 Hyundai Sonata GLS, which was reported stolen to Shelton police the same day. This red Hyundai was found unoccupied with the engine running, a window shattered, and the ignition is broken as it was parked at the rear of the Marriott. There was also a USB cord found on the driver’s side floor, which is commonly used to start Hyundai’s after removing the ignition cover.

Police investigation revealed that a blue Hyundai had been recovered in Shelton, which had been reported stolen to the West Haven police on May 1, 2023. This blue Hyundai was driven to Shelton by the teens, where they abandoned it before stealing the red Hyundai. The 15-year-old was also listed as a Missing Person by the New Haven Police Department on April 4, 2023.

All juveniles were charged with Larceny of Motor Vehicle, Conspiracy to Commit Larceny of Motor Vehicle, and Interfering with Police. They were all released to the custody of their guardians on a Promise to Appear in New Haven Juvenile Court on May 4, 2023.

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Westport News: Theft of Tobacco Products

#Westport CT– On February 2 nd, 2022 at approximately 4:40 am, an officer on routine patrol discovered a forced entry burglary at Riverside Sunoco (240 Riverside Ave). Further investigation revealed that the glass in the front door was smashed, and entry was gained. Tobacco products appeared to be the target of the burglary as vaping devices and cigarettes were the majority of items stolen. The total loss reported by the victim was approximately $3,600. The investigation was turned over to the Detective Bureau. The investigating detective processed the scene to include DNA swabs of evidence left on the scene. Recovered in Bridgeport on February 16 th 2023 was a stolen vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle seen on surveillance at the burglary. A search of that vehicle uncovered items stolen from the burglary. Using surveillance footage and DNA evidence, Thomas Moccaie was developed as a suspect who allegedly committed the burglary.

A warrant was issued and on May 1st, Mr. Moccaie was arrested at Stamford Superior Court and charged with the above crimes. He was held on a court-set bond of 50,000.

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Fairfield News: ASSASSIN GAME INVOLVING STUDENTS

#Fairfield CT–Chief Robert Kalamaras and the Fairfield Police Department would like to notify residents that Fairfield high school students will be participating in their “AP Assassins” game this week.

The “AP Assassins” game is an annual event each year that is not sponsored by the schools but includes many high school students “hunting” each other down with water or Nerf-like guns in an assassin-like way. The goal of the game is to locate your target with your water or Nerf-style gun, inheriting the targets of those they successfully squirt and advancing to the next level. The last person left wins the game.

While playing this game, students are typically dressed in dark clothing and sneak around people’s homes late at night and in the early morning hours to surprise their target and advance in the game.

“Every year, Fairfield students participate in this light-hearted game and while it’s all intended in good fun, it does occasionally spark fear and anger in the community which generates several calls for service that may allocate resources away from emergencies,” Chief Kalamaras said. “We ask that those participating in the game be mindful of this and be careful as to how this game may be perceived by the public and the responding officers who are called for suspicious activity calls.”

While parents may know what the game entails, their neighbors do not, prompting reports of a suspicious person in the neighborhood.

Each year, the department typically sees an increase in calls for suspicious activity, often by neighbors, which allocates vital police resources to the game when there could be real emergencies elsewhere.

Across the nation, accidents have also occurred and criminal charges have been filed as a result of the game.

The Fairfield Police Department would like to share the following safety tips as this game is ongoing:

Players are asked to avoid neighbors’ yards and not trespass on private property

Players are asked to avoid playing the game late at night or early in the morning

Players should not make any modifications to their water or Nerf-style gun to make it look more realistic

While playing the game, students must follow all laws and the rules of the road.

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COLLEGE TRANSPARENCY ACT

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, joined U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and his colleagues in introducing the College Transparency Act (CTA), bipartisan legislation which would ensure that students and families have better information as they consider higher education opportunities. The CTA modernizes the college reporting system for postsecondary data by providing accurate reporting on student outcomes such as enrollment, completion, and post-college earnings across colleges and majors, while ensuring the privacy of individual students is securely protected.

This information will give students a better understanding of what to expect of the student experience and post-graduation prospects at colleges they are considering, helping them to make better decisions about the schools and programs of study that are best suited to their unique needs and desired outcomes. It will also promote better outcomes by aiding institutions of learning and policymakers in their work to improve our country’s post-secondary education system.

“The cost of a college degree is out of control, and too many students are left wondering if the experience they’re getting is worth the tuition. This bipartisan legislation would help make sure kids and their families have the information they need to decide which school is the right fit before they commit years of their life and potentially take on tens of thousands of dollars in debt,” said Murphy.

“College costs and student debt continue to soar. Students should have all the facts at their disposal and understand the value of their investment and likely outcomes,” said Cassidy. “The College Transparency Act gives students and parents a tool to make better decisions about where to attend college.”

“Students and their families need a clear understanding of how colleges support their students – including data on their enrollment, transfer, and graduation rates – so they can make informed decisions when choosing a college,” said Warren. “The College Transparency Act would close the information gap so that students and families finally have the tools they need to choose the best school for them.”

The current college reporting system is overly burdensome on institutions yet provides little practical information for students and families due to significant gaps in college data reporting. Under the updated system, institutions would securely report privacy-protected, student-level data to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). NCES would be responsible for securely storing student information, working with relevant federal agencies to generate post-college outcomes reports, and presenting the summary information on a user-friendly website for students and families.

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