News Analysis: What Happens When ICE Comes to Enfield?

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  Freshwater Pond, Enfield CT Concern is high, generally, about what happens when ICE makes a concerted push in our community. Would we see something similar to Minnesota? That operation involved a saturation surge -- of more than 2,000 agents into the Twin Cities -- that overwhelmed local police capability. The question becomes do all communities face a similar risk, especially from agents that don't seem well-trained in de-escalation techniques. Enfield is too small of a town to get a massive ICE response. But it is the practice of ICE to operate independently from local police departments, which creates its own set of risks. Connecticut has a law, the Connecticut Trust Act, that sets some restrictions on what local police can do to help federal immigration enforcement. The Trust Act explicitly forbids local police from assisting federal agents unless specific serious criteria are met. But does the Trust Act protect residents, or does it just keep local police from helping in ce...
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Santannella Talks Taxes, Schools, and the Enfield Square Project in Candid Interview

I had the chance to interview Councilmember and State Rep. John Santanella on his Cox TV show, Community Crossroads. We discussed some of the major issues in this election.

One thing missing from Enfield’s election season is real discussion. There are no debates, no forums where a panel or the public can question the candidates. As a result, we usually hear more about their backgrounds and resumes than how they would tackle the town’s biggest challenges.

With that in mind, Councilmember and State Rep. John Santanella invited me to interview him on his Cox TV show Community Crossroads.

[Here’s the link to the show.]

Usually, he’s the one asking the questions, but this time he asked me to turn the tables and focus on town issues. I was glad to take him up on it.

The questions I asked are the same ones I’d put to any candidate: the property revaluation, school funding, economic development, the Enfield Square redevelopment, outsourcing of town services, the charter-revision questions, and the election outlook.

Santanella did not see the questions in advance — credit to him for taking the initiative. Whether you agree or disagree with his positions, you’ll come away from this discussion with a clear sense of where he stands.