Students rally at Southern Connecticut State University after ICE detain classmate
There are growing calls for a Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) student to be released from federal custody after supporters say she was recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Students, faculty, and community members gathered on campus on Monday, holding a rally to show support for the student and to voice concerns about the broader impact of immigration enforcement on the community.
Chants echoed across the SCSU campus as demonstrators called for the student’s release.
One student, junior Tate Kerr, said the rally was intended “to make clear that our student needs to be returned home.”
The Department of Homeland Security says Keyla Vasquez-Zuniga was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during an operation last week in Middletown.
According to DHS, Vasquez-Zuniga is from Ecuador and entered the United States legally on a tourist visa in 2021. The visa allowed her to remain in the country for six months. DHS said she then remained in the U.S. illegally for nearly three years.
In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said: “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.”
Kerr said news of the arrest spread quickly across campus, prompting frustration and anger among students.
“I know that the reaction of myself and others when we heard that one of our students was taken by ICE was it we were outraged and this is unacceptable,” Kerr said.
The university’s interim president addressed the situation in a statement, writing in part: “We are committed to supporting anyone affected and making sure our campus remains a safe and welcoming place for all.”
DHS also SAID Vasquez-Zuniga has a prior arrest for first-degree criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. NBC Connecticut has not independently verified those claims or the circumstances surrounding the charges.
During the rally, speakers emphasized that the issue extends beyond one student’s case.
“This is another disgusting attack against immigrants in Connecticut and across the country,” one speaker said during the demonstration.
Some attendees said they now carry their passports.
Two children also spoke publicly about their father being detained, describing the emotional toll on their family.
“We miss him and we miss the time that we had with him. So like, it’s been hard and stuff and we really want to see him again,” one child said.
DHS SAID Vasquez-Zuniga will remain in custody as removal proceedings begin. Federal records show she is currently being held at a detention facility in New Hampshire.
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