Federal immigration agents have been arresting parents at school bus stops in a Connecticut town with a significant immigrant population, according to Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. He highlighted these actions in a recent post on social media.
Senator Murphy stated, “This morning in Danbury, ICE was arresting parents at school bus stops.” He emphasized the disturbing nature of the situation, claiming that agents waited until children were on the bus before making arrests. This left children isolated and frightened when they returned home without their parents. Murphy indicated he would be traveling to Danbury to address the matter.
There has yet to be any immediate evidence provided by Murphy to support the claims that agents intentionally waited for buses to leave before proceeding with arrests. Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comments regarding the situation.
The allegations come in conjunction with a video published by the immigrant advocacy group, Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants, on Facebook. The footage appears to depict the arrest operation, recorded from within a moving school bus in Danbury. In the video, several unmarked law enforcement vehicles are seen navigating residential areas, while passengers on the bus are heard urging for documentation of the events and identifying the vehicles as belonging to ICE.
According to Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants, a total of 48 individuals were arrested over a span of three days in Danbury, including 22 on the second day of the local school year. The group reported instances of ICE vehicles surrounding bus stops as children disembarked, causing fear among students hesitant to exit the bus and return home. Concerns have been raised among families who feel unsafe accompanying their children to school.
Danbury, located in western Connecticut, hosts a considerable immigrant community, with approximately 35 percent of its population born outside the United States, as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from 2020 to 2024.