A Hartford mother who sits in immigration detention in Massachusetts received a temporary stay on her deportation this week. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the stay on Monday.
Immigration officials arrested Wayzaro Walton last month – just before a Connecticut-issued criminal pardon could have saved her from deportation.
Constanza Segovia, an advocate for Hartford Deportation Defense, said immigration officials at the Department of Homeland Security acknowledge all other state pardons because they come from a governor. Connecticut pardons are issued by a board.
“The stay is contingent to the pardon, and you know the question of the pardon, so it’s really important now to continue to make a really strong point about the validity of the Connecticut pardon system because DHS is still questioning that process.”
Segovia also said she’s not sure if Immigration and Custom Enforcement will let Walton return home.
“We think it’s important to demand that ICE releases Wayzaro from detention. As she now has a stay, there’s really no reason...There wasn’t a good reason before. But now she should be able to continue to fight her case from home with her daughter.”
ICE says Wayzaro Walton is a convicted felon with numerous additional misdemeanor convictions, including larceny.