2019 Press Releases

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• 9/22/2019 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. In a comment letter, the attorneys general urge the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to rescind the rule, which was issued without advance notice or opportunity for public comment.

• 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 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.

• 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.

• 9/16/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG CONDEMNS FEDERAL ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general, led by Pennsylvania and California, in opposing a new Trump Administration rule undermining civil rights protections that prevent federal contractors from discriminating against employees.

• 9/16/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS AMICUS BRIEF DEFENDING WOMEN'S ACCESS TO CONSTITUTIONALLY-PROTECTED ABORTION SERVICES

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general across the country in filing an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, challenging a Kentucky state law that would ban physicians from providing second-trimester abortion services using the most common and safest procedure available for women after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

• 9/10/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SEEKS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER PUBLIC CHARGE RULE

  Attorney General William Tong today filed a motion to seek a preliminary injunction to stop the Trump Administration’s public charge rule from taking effect on Oct. 15 of this year. The public charge rule aims to deny entry, green cards, and visas to immigrants who have used or are deemed likely to use certain government assistance programs.

• 9/9/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES SEC FOR PUTTING BROKERS AHEAD OF INVESTORS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of eight attorneys general from around the nation in filing a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, challenging the Securities & Exchange Commission’s (SEC) “Regulation Best Interest” for failing to meet basic investor protections that were laid out in the historic 2010 Dodd-Frank Act.

• 9/8/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS 50 ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN BIPARTISAN MULTISTATE ANTITRUST INVESTIGATION INTO GOOGLE

  Attorney General William Tong announced today Connecticut has joined with 50 attorneys general in a multistate, bipartisan investigation of tech giant Google’s business practices in accordance with state and federal antitrust laws.

• 9/2/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS BIPARTISAN COALITION FIGHTING FOR STUDENT BORROWERS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a bipartisan coalition of 32 attorneys general from around the country in defending the states’ vital ability to enforce state and federal consumer protection laws against student loan servicers. In an amicus brief filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the attorneys general argue that the case brought by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania against student loan servicer Navient for exploiting student loan borrowers should be permitted to go forward in the federal courts.

• 9/2/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS COALITION DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM TRUMP ADMIN OVER CHANGES TO PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES IMMIGRANTS WITH LIFESAVING MEDICAL CARE

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, calling on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide immediate answers regarding the status and oversight of the federal government’s medical deferred action program. For years, medical deferred action has allowed immigrants to apply to remain in the United States if they are in extreme medical need. USCIS has long overseen and managed this program, but last week, without warning, USCIS informed applicants in denial letters that the agency is no longer overseeing the program. The Trump Administration has since failed to issue any formal directive or guidance on the new process for reviewing medical deferred action requests, including what federal agency is overseeing the program, and the coalition is demanding answers.

• 9/2/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG JOINS MULTISTATE COALITION IN SEEKING PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION TO HALT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S RULE ALLOWING INDEFINITE DETENTION OF CHILDREN

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general, led by California and Massachusetts, in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the Trump Administration’s new rule circumventing the Flores Settlement Agreement, which has governed the treatment of children in immigration custody since 1997.

• 8/28/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON TRUMP PLAN TO END AUTOMATIC BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP FOR CHILDREN OF SERVICEMEMBERS AND DIPLOMATIC CORPS BORN ABROAD

  Attorney General William Tong issued a statement regarding the Trump Administration's plan to end automatic birthright citizenship for children of servicemembers and government employees born abroad.

• 8/28/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG TO EDUCATION SECRETARY DEVOS: DELIVER ON THE PROMISE TO AMERICA’S PUBLIC SERVANTS

  Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos urging once again that the U.S. Department of Education provide data to help states address the ongoing problems with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

• 8/28/2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG DENOUNCES TRUMP PLAN TO ROLLBACK METHANE REGULATIONS

  Attorney General William Tong today issued the following statement denouncing the latest Trump Administration plan to rollback regulation of methane emissions, one of the leading contributors to climate change.