ICE in Danbury

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained at least 60 people from Danbury since August 24.

The highest number of arrests took place from August 24 to the 28 in public areas such as elementary schools, outside daycare centers, apartment buildings, and during traffic stops.

“In Connecticut, we respect the dignity and humanity of every person who calls our state home, and we value the contributions of our immigrant communities to our state. I am also grateful for the community advocates and volunteer lawyers assisting those who have been detained and those they leave behind. For those communities being targeted, know that we support you and we’re here for you,” Connecticut Governor Ted Lamont said about ICE arrests in Danbury.

Many Danbary residents are now fearful of leaving their homes. Ecuadorian Restaurant owner Marcus, said it is a “ghost town,” and “nobody showed up.”

People of hispanic heritage make up 32.2% of the population in Danbury which is roughly 27,000 people. In total, about 35% of all residents in Danbury are immigrants and were not born in the United States.

Nationwide, the summer months of June and July resulted in an uptick of ICE arrests, although the exact number is unknown. In Connecticut, around 100 people have been arrested by ICE. 

The Danbury Police Department noted a 25% decrease in crime from 2024 to 2025 when ICE began in January of 2025. According to recent data, violent crime in Danbury is down 50% throughout the first half of 2026.

“They should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from Connecticut—not vilifying law enforcement. While these people smear ICE, law enforcement is arresting criminals and saving countless American lives,” a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

Protests in Danbury have increased going against the arrests. On September 2, hundreds of people including government officials walked along main street and other ICE ‘hotspots’. 

Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves was present and gave a speech to the crowd.

"We don't see folks going to the stores. We still see parents scared to send their kids to school. We still see parents scared to go to work," Mayor Alves said. 

The Danbury Mayor explained in an interview on "Good Morning Joe” that he has heard little to no information about the details of the arrests. 

“I feel scared for the people around me and the people I love. I didn’t know ICE was in Danbury. I know friends that live there,” NHS sophomore Mackenzie Fregoe said.

Glenn Formica, an attorney with The American Immigrant Legal Clinic (TAILC), has been representing 14 illegal Connecticut residents. Formica has stated that these people have been in detention facilities in Colorado, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

According to ICE, anyone is illegally present in the U.S. if they “are in the U.S. for any period of time without being admitted or paroled, or for any length of time after your authorized period stay expires.”

The Migration Policy Institute estimates that 113,000 to 150,000 people are undocumented and living in Connecticut.

The conservative Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimates that in 2023, $1.3 billion dollars were spent on undocumented citizens in Connecticut.