West Hartford restaurant owner released after detained by ICE

A West Hartford restaurant owner who was detained by ICE has been released from custody, according to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D).

Seyo Cecunjanin was taken by ICE on June 20 at a Dunkin Donuts in town, according to Rep. John Larson (D-01), prompting Blumenthal, Larson, and the community to demand his release.

Cecunjanin is the owner of Portobello Restaurant on Park Road in West Hartford. Records indicated he was being held at the Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island.

Blumenthal and Larson sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding Cecunjanin's release and also called for it at a press conference on Monday.

Blumenthal called the release of Cecunjanin "a magnificent start to the July 4th celebration." He continued with the statement:

So proud of all the community who rallied around Seyo as Congressman Larson and I fought for his release. Our letters, protests, and work behind the scenes vindicated his cause. Seyo's son, Emir, tells me he’s “doing great”. As well, he deserves to be.

His courage and faith are a lesson to all of us on this 250th national birthday. I look forward to welcoming him home. ICE seizing and detaining him was cruel and unconscionable. He was never a flight risk, or a danger to anyone. I’ll support his efforts to gain permanent legal status and more. Welcome home Seyo!

Larson also welcomed him home, saying they were "relieved to get the call" they'd been hoping for from Cecunjanin on Thursday night with Cecunjanin saying he was back home in West Hartford.

"This is what it looks like to stand up to ICE and win. Our community sent a powerful message: we will not stand by as ICE ambushes and abducts our valued community members. Seyo is back where he belongs — with his family," Larson said in a statement.

DHS said of the detainment of Cecunjanin:

On June 20, ICE arrested Sead Cecunjanin, a criminal illegal alien from Montenegro with a previous DUI conviction. Cecunjanin illegally entered the United States on March 21, 1997, presenting a fraudulent passport of a Dutch national. On September 25, 1997, a Justice Department immigration judge issued him a final order of removal. On July 30, 2024, Cecunjanin departed the United States for Serbia, only to return about two weeks later on August 16. He was promptly RELEASED back into the United States under the Biden Administration—despite having a final order of removal over 25 years old.