Dozens of reported arrests in Danbury amid immigration enforcement activity

Immigrant advocates have told NBC Connecticut that more detainments took place on Thursday in Danbury, adding to dozens that they report already happened there this week.

Federal authorities have not confirmed the number of arrests.

Advocates say they are providing help around the clock to families whose loved ones were detained.

Now they and others are worried about how immigration enforcement is affecting back-to-school.

NBC Connecticut was there as a team that appeared to be from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seemed to detain a man in Danbury.

Right near City Hall, the man was escorted from a pickup truck and then quickly taken away.

 Activists are protesting what they say is a recent increase in immigration enforcement here.

“I don’t see how you can’t be here or try to help out in any way that you can – hearing what’s going on in Danbury this week,” said Helen Garcia of Hartford.

Danbury Unites for Immigrants reports about ten people were detained on Thursday.

That adds to about 50 detained by ICE so far this week, according to advocates.

Sen. Chris Murphy posted on social media that ICE was arresting parents at school bus stops.

Advocates are concerned about how that could affect students as they return to classes.

“So they are never, ever, ever going to forget this first day of school. They went into school with a parent and they came home to them being gone, and they had to watch them being taken away. All of these kids are traumatized now,” Garcia said.

In a statement to NBC, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson wrote, “Any claim that ICE targeted parents at a school bus stop is FALSE.”

DHS said that a man from Ecuador who illegally entered the country was arrested on Wednesday in a car, and it did not happen near a bus stop.

Educators said the activity of ICE in the city may be having an effect on attendance at schools.

“Families are making choices about, ‘Do we just not go to the bus stop? Do we wait this out? Do we decide what other choices do we have in terms of getting our child to school?’” said Kate Dias, Connecticut Education Association.

NBC Connecticut has reached out to ICE, the City of Danbury, local police, and the school district for comment but not heard back at this time.

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