Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Immigration Protest Activity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council on alleged ICE activity, dispute claims that protestors are paid
Summary
At the March 9 New Milford Town Council meeting, residents and immigrant-rights advocates described arrests and detentions they attributed to ICE in nearby Danbury and challenged council members to produce evidence that local protestors are paid. Speakers urged transparency and noncooperation with ICE.
At the March 9 New Milford Town Council meeting, several residents and advocates used the public comment period to press the council about alleged Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in nearby Danbury and to dispute council members' claims that protestors are being paid.
Jackie Eaton, a New Milford resident, said she watched a February council meeting and was "surprised at Councilman Castro's comments that ICE was not in Danbury," and told the council that "citizens are being arrested without due process and they have not committed any crimes." Juan Fonsec, a Danbury resident and member of Danbury Unites for Immigrants, described multiple incidents he said involved ICE: an August 14 courthouse removal, a September 4 detention with poor conditions, and a recent case where a detained person did not learn his case had been dismissed. Fonsec said there is "daily ICE activity in Danbury."
Ari Rosenberg, identified in the record as a resident and Executive Director of the Association of Religious Communities, noted national arrest figures cited for 2024 and said Operation Broken Trust removed 65 immigrants from Connecticut, of whom 29 were charged. He told the council the chamber "should be sacrosanct from misinformation." Several speakers, including Nicholas Vanasse and Mark Edwards (whose written statement was read into the record), pushed back against social-media accusations that protestors are paid, saying they and others attend rallies voluntarily and as a civic duty. Vanasse asked the council to "present evidence" if anyone claims protestors are being paid.
A written statement from Joan McManus was read by Cindy Maguire; McManus said she witnessed an August 14, 2025 confrontation at the Danbury courthouse when a group of armed, mostly masked individuals entered a parking lot and confronted peaceful observers. She urged the council to "stand with the people" and not to cooperate with ICE.
Several commentators asked council members to avoid spreading unverified claims about protestors and to be transparent about any evidence of wrongdoing. The council did not take formal action on these public comments during the meeting.
