Advocates say immigration officials have arrested and detained a Connecticut mother hours before a state criminal pardon would have saved her from deportation. She’s now detained in Massachusetts.
Advocates rallied on Wednesday outside the Hartford federal courthouse for Wayzaro Walton, who is set to be deported to England.
Constanza Segovia, with the group Hartford Deportation Defense, said it’s unfair that Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not acknowledge the pardon.
“ICE is claiming that Connecticut is the only state in the country where the pardon doesn’t have the weight that it should have.”
Walton was arrested the night before her state pardon for felony larceny and other misdemeanors became effective.
Her lawyer said Walton's family brought her to the U.S. as a child and she has a green card.
ICE declined to comment on the pardon, but said Walton is a convicted felon who will be deported.