ICE Arrests 7 At Newington Car Wash, Mayor Says

ICE arrested seven people at a Newington car wash Saturday morning, according to a Facebook post by Newington Mayor Jon Trister.

"On Saturday morning, seven individuals were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement while working at the Optimo Car Wash on Main Street in Newington," he wrote. "The Newington Police Department was not involved in these arrests and was only notified afterward as a courtesy. Since learning of this incident, we have requested immediate information from the Hartford ICE office, where inquiries have been directed. We are actively working to determine who was targeted, whether their families have been notified, where they are being held, and if or how they have been charged."

ICE media representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Patch.

"We are deeply concerned by this incident. In the United States, everyone — regardless of their immigration status or where they were born — has the right to due process and to fundamental protections that cannot and must not be denied," Trister wrote. "This is a guarantee for any person in this country afforded by the United States Constitution. The recent actions of ICE by the federal government are designed to intimidate and terrorize immigrants and their families, and we will not stand idly by."

He added: "As community leaders, we stand united with Newington’s immigrant communities. Our town has been and will remain a place where families are welcome and where neighbors look out for one another. We will not be intimidated, and we will never be silent."

Congressman John Larson, who represents Connecticut's First District, also said, "I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the actions taken this morning by ICE in Newington when they grabbed seven individuals at a local car wash."

He added: "These raids are not about safety. They are about fear. They undermine trust, divide our communities, and trample on the very principles of justice and fairness that define our nation. This must stop, and it must stop now. I will continue to stand with our immigrant neighbors and work with my colleagues in Congress to hold ICE accountable and ensure that our Constitution and the rule of law are respected."