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CT AAPI students speak on SCOTUS affirmative action decision

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CT AAPI students speak on SCOTUS affirmative action decision


With affirmative action now struck down by the Supreme Court Thursday, it’s drawing a discussion among the Asian American community on what this means for them and putting a focus on their mixed feelings when it comes to this issue.

“It’s always something on my mind on the front or on the back burner,” said Max Bonadies, a Glastonbury High School student.

The thoughts of attending college continue to be a focus for Bonadies. Now he’ll have to navigate a space where affirmative action won’t be a factor in college admissions after the Supreme Court struck down the policy.

“It’s going to picture us as ‘Look at the Asian Americans succeeding’ and it’s going to put a divide in saying that race isn’t a factor, but in reality, race is a huge factor,” Bonadies said.

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UConn sophomore Hartiha Subramanian is stunned by the decision.

“Not having that diversity is not only going to hurt the Black and Latinx population, it’s going to hurt everyone,” Subramanian said.

But within the Asian American community there are mixed feelings about affirmative action. The plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case included Asian American students rejected from Harvard and the University of North Carolina, blaming affirmative action. A Pew Research survey shows 53% of Asian adults who’ve heard of affirmative action believes it’s a good thing.

However, when split between different ethnicities, the results vary. 60% of Indian adults agreeing affirmative action is good while only 48% of Vietnamese adults agree.

Bonadies, who is a Vietnamese adoptee, points out the older generation usually kept their head down just to conform and not rock the boat, but says younger folks like his peers believe there needs to be change to make things equitable for not just Asians, but Black and brown communities as well.

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“That’s not always the case. Sometimes, you have to be loud and show them it’s not always like the stereotype and look at us, there’s more than meets the eye,” Bonadies said.

Subramanian agrees, saying creating equity is important.

“I am sure that affirmative action would help a lot of lower income Asian Americans. Really anyone facing more systemic barriers in the end,” Subramanian said.



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Connecticut

Smoke from MA fire noticed from Southington to New Haven

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Smoke from MA fire noticed from Southington to New Haven


GREAT BARRINGTON, MA (WFSB) – Smoke from a large fire in Massachusetts wafted into Connecticut.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said on Tuesday morning that smoke from the fire in Great Barrington traveled south into the state.

“Many residents from Southington to New Haven and beyond may be noticing a strong smell of smoke and haze [Tuesday] morning,” DEEP said.

DEEP said that Tuesday’s weather conditions caused smoke to spread widely and stay close to the ground. That’s what made it more noticeable.

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“Local officials are monitoring the situation,” it said. “If you’re sensitive to smoke, consider staying indoors and keeping windows closed until conditions improve.”

More on the forecast can be read in the technical discussion from Channel 3’s meteorologists here.



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Serious crash in downtown Stamford causes road closure

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Serious crash in downtown Stamford causes road closure


A serious car crash closed a busy road in downtown Stamford on Monday night.

The police department said Washington Boulevard is closed at the intersection with Bridge Street because of a serious crash.

Drivers are being asked to stay away from the area.

No additional information was immediately available.

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Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans

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Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans


Immigration advocates say they’ve already been preparing for President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to ramp up deportations once he returns to the White House.

“We anticipate that they’re going to be very quick, very rapid, very massive efforts to grab as many people as possible and deport them,” National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos said during a rally outside the Capitol on Monday.

Matos said hers and other organizations began considering possible actions earlier this year in case Trump won.

Now, Trump is promising to deliver on his campaign pledge, taking to his Truth Social platform earlier in the morning to confirm he plans to declare a national emergency.

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He also intends to try and use the military to support his deportation effort, his post confirmed.

Advocates said they’re trying to assume undocumented immigrants in Connecticut that their organizations will offer support.

“If families have to be separated, it defeats the point completely because people are trying to get to the United States to be with their families,” said Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of CT Students For a Dream.

Sookdeo said her family came from Guyana when she was a teenager and her grandmother, who was a U.S. citizen, was trying to help them also get permanent legal status.

Her grandmother died during the process, though, leaving Sookdeo’s family in limbo.

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“Immigration is pretty complicated,” she said.

Democrats, meanwhile, said they won’t support federal deportation efforts.

Attorney General William Tong (D) pointed to the state’s Trust Act, which bars local and state agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

“Connecticut is going to care for our immigrant families and immigrant neighbors and friends,” Tong said.

There are some exceptions, including when an undocumented immigrant is convicted of a Class A or Class B felony. Tong wouldn’t say if that means Connecticut has to notify federal authorities of such a conviction.

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“I’m not going to issue a legal opinion on the fly from this podium,” Tong said.

Connecticut Republicans were critical of Democrats, though, saying their policies don’t reflect what voters want.

Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-Minority Leader) said Connecticut spends too much money supporting undocumented immigrants, including with Medicaid, education and other assistance.

He also said voters are worried about public safety.

“It’s really out of step, I think, with what the residents and America wants, and that is, you know, safe borders, public safety and we have to get the cost of immigration under control,” Candelora said.

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