2019 Press Releases

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• 10/10/2019 CONNECTICUT SUES FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TO PROTECT LEGITIMACY OF CONNECTICUT PARDONS

  Attorney General William Tong announced today that the State of Connecticut has sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Justice in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, seeking a declaratory judgment that the federal government must honor and respect Connecticut's pardons as sufficient to waive deportation under the Pardon Waiver Clause of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The lawsuit explains that federal agencies have singled-out Connecticut for unfair and prejudicial treatment by refusing to recognize our pardons.

• 10/8/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG MOVES TO DEFEND EPA RIGHT TO REGULATE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AGAINST INDUSTRY CHALLENGE

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 30 states and local governments in filing a motion to intervene on behalf of the federal government to defend the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) authority to establish meaningful emission limits on greenhouse gases from power plants and other industrial sources. The intervention pushes back against industry challenges to EPA authority under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act to limit these missions.

• 10/7/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG, NAUGATUCK MAYOR ANNOUNCE $7,000 FINE IN ILLEGAL DUMPING OF USED COOKING OIL IN NAUGATUCK

  Attorney General William Tong and Naugatuck Mayor N. Warren "Pete" Hess announced today the Office of the Attorney General has secured a $7,000 fine from the owner of a box truck involved in illegal dumping of stolen used cooking oil in Naugatuck. This is a significant fine that resolves the seizure of this vehicle that was used in violation of environmental laws. The money will be used to combat illegal dumping and blight in Naugatuck.

• 10/3/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG, DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER PROTECTION WARN AGAINST LATEST SCAM TARGETING EVERSOURCE CUSTOMERS

  Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull today warned Eversource consumers of a new scam.

• 10/1/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES COURT VICTORY TO COMPEL EPA TO REGULATE INTERSTATE SMOG POLLUTION

• 10/1/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM TONG SEEKS INFORMATION FROM DO-IT-YOURSELF RAPE KIT MANUFACTURERS

  The Connecticut Office of the Attorney General has sent letters to the manufactures of the "MeToo" and "PRESERVE" "do-it-yourself" rape kits seeking information regarding representations and implications by the companies that their kits will yield evidence admissible in criminal prosecution.

• 9/29/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUPPORTS DACA HOLDERS IN SCOTUS BRIEF

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general led by New York Attorney General Letitia James in filing a brief in the United States Supreme Court in the coalition’s ongoing lawsuit to protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The lawsuit, originally filed in September 2017, will be heard by the Supreme Court this fall. The suit argues that the Trump Administration’s attempt to revoke DACA was based on a faulty legal analysis and harmed State residents, institutions, and economies.

• 9/25/2019 CONNECTICUT JOINS MULTISTATE CHALLENGE TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ROLLBACK OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT REGULATIONS

  Attorney General William Tong announced Connecticut has joined with 16 other states, the District of Colombia and the City of New York to challenge the Trump Administration's rollback of the regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act.

• 9/24/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG BACKS BILL TO OVERTURN TRUMP MUSLIM BAN, END IMMIGRATION DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RELIGION

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general, led by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, in urging Congress to support a bill that would expand the anti-discrimination protections in the Immigration and Naturalization Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion in immigration decisions.

• 9/23/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG OPPOSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RULE THAT RISKS DEPORTATION OF LAWFUL RESIDENTS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general in issuing comments formally opposing the Trump Administration’s new rule that vastly expands the use of expedited removal. Under the new rule, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is authorized to deport certain individuals living anywhere in the United States without the due process protections afforded in normal removal proceedings, such as the right to an attorney or a hearing before a judge.

• 9/23/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS COALITION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN URGING CONGRESSIONAL ACTION TO CLOSE AMMUNITION SALE LOOPHOLE

  Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in sending a letter today to Congressional leaders urging their support of legislation that would extend existing background check requirements on firearm sales to also include ammunition sales.

• 9/23/2019 AG TONG JOINS 24 STATE COALITION OPPOSING TRUMP RULE THAT WOULD TAKE FOOD ASSISTANCE AWAY FROM MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general opposing the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The proposed changes would take basic food assistance away from more than three million people, disqualify hundreds of thousands of children from free school meals, and punish working families with modest savings. The coalition filed a comment letter against a proposed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule that would end states’ ability to set rules for SNAP eligibility based on the unique needs of their communities. The letter argues that the proposed rule would violate federal law and harm the states, their residents, their local economies, and public health.

• 9/19/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER ATTEMPT TO TRAMPLE CALIFORNIA’S AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN LONGSTANDING CLEAN CAR STANDARDS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general in a lawsuit against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful regulation designed to preempt California’s greenhouse gas emissions and Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) standards, also known as California’s Advanced Clean Car Standards.

• 9/18/2019 AG TONG TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH BIRTH CONTROL REFUSAL INJUNCTION IS ILLEGAL

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general urging the Trump Administration to immediately comply with the court-ordered injunction in California v.Azar. Connecticut joined a coalition led by California earlier this year in securing an injunction to block the Trump Administration’s attempt to strip access to cost-free birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A similar injunction was also secured by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Despite the clear injunction from the court, the Trump Administration has yet to update its website and inform the public about the injunction and its impact on their contraceptive coverage.

• 9/18/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG, GOVERNOR LAMONT, COMMISSIONER DYKES CONDEMN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ATTEMPT TO ROB CALIFORNIA’S LEGAL AUTHORITY TO SET EMISSION STANDARDS

  Attorney General William Tong, Governor Ned Lamont and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes today condemned the Trump Administration’s unprecedented action to revoke California’s waiver to establish vehicle emissions standards for greenhouse gas emissions and standards to require manufacturers to sell zero emissions vehicles. These standards are vital to curbing emissions, and addressing air quality issues and the climate crisis.