On Wednesday morning, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a raid at Optimo Car Wash, located on 1126 Dixwell Ave. in Hamden.
Eight people were detained at the car wash, including a married couple and a customer. An eyewitness on the scene reported seeing at least 10 masked agents in tactical gear show up with an unmarked van around 10:20 a.m.
The identities of those detained remain unknown at the time of publication, but Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett stated in a news conference that town officials are working toward identification so they can contact affected families.
“The acts from the administration and ICE are deplorable, they are disgusting, they are not what we represent in Hamden,” Garrett said to news outlets at the following press conference. “People are living in fear because of an inhumane presidency.”
The raid came as a surprise to the town officials and state representatives. In a statement to The Chronicle, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro’s office shared that “neither the Congresswoman nor her office received notice that the ICE raid was going to take place in Hamden beforehand.”
DeLauro is the U.S. representative for Connecticut’s third congressional district, which covers most towns in the Greater New Haven area, including Hamden.
DeLauro reiterated her public statement on the raid, where she stated she, like Garrett, is focusing on the families impacted. She condemned the Trump administration, claiming that the president is “exacerbating fear.”
“I will continue to engage with local leaders and law enforcement to understand the basis for this raid and to ensure that the rights of these individuals and all Connecticut residents are respected,” she wrote.
“I mean, I think we can try, but ultimately all of our politicians, congressmen [or] senators, like you know, from the top to the bottom, are all complacent in this,” said Luke Oglesby, senior computer information systems and business analytics major in response to his trust in the communication between local leaders and law enforcement.
“(DeLauro) can say that she’s gonna do that, but I mean when it gets to a certain point just get shut down that same time and time again… so the answer is: I think it’s plausible that she will try to do that but I don’t think it’ll lead to anything. But then again, I think the worst thing you can do is not try,” Oglesby said.
Ashley Naranjo, a senior Law in Society major, also raised concerns for the families of those detained.
“A mother and father were taken away that day and no one is stopping to think about their children,” Naranjo said.“They are going to walk into an empty house and realize their parents are not coming back. This shows once again the administration does not care about the trauma they are causing by separating families, they are more concerned about hitting a quota.”
The Chronicle reached out to Quinnipiac University’s Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) student chapter for a comment.
“I have a lot of thoughts considering the student reactions it generated on platforms like Yik Yak,” said Aslin Argueta, public coordinator for IRIS.
Optimo is less than 10 miles from Quinnipiac University.
When asked if IRIS is planning any events in response, Argueta said that “having ICE hold an operation so close to campus only emphasizes the importance of what we’re doing on campus and raises the possibility of having another ‘Know Your Rights’ event next spring with more up to date/relevant information and local resources.”
IRIS previously held a “Know Your Rights” event in March, where panelists aimed to “equip the audience with resources, knowledge of their rights and protections, a safe space to facilitate conversation about current immigration policies, and learn about ways to support their local communities,” according to the Quinnipiac Events website.
The proximity to the campus left some other students concerned as well.
“How can I know it is safe to bring my parents for Bobcat Weekend or my upcoming ceremonies?” said Xiomara Saavedra-Vicente, senior Journalism major and Students for Social Justice co-president. “Will we be targeted on campus or in surrounding communities? This uncertainty is not something I should have to feel at my university. When I heard about the ICE raids near campus, I immediately called my parents to tell them not to worry and to stay home unless they absolutely needed to leave.”
Saavedra-Vicente expressed her frustration towards the university for including the United States Border Patrol at Tuesday’s career fair.
The United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) is not synonymous with ICE. CBP focuses on security at ports of entry. ICE focuses on immigration enforcement within the country.
“I deserve to feel like I go to school in a space that values my presence just as much as anyone else’s, but instead, Quinnipiac has shown time and time again that it does not care about its marginalized students, their safety, or their well-being… Quinnipiac must acknowledge the ongoing struggles immigrants face in this country and in our community. Without these conversations, there can be no real change,” Saavedra-Vincente said.
Users on the popular anonymous app YikYak were quick to voice their opinions. One user in support of the raid posted, “ICE doing its job isn’t a bad thing. It keeps the system in check and makes sure everyone follows the same process. There’s nothing wrong with enforcing the law. It’s not fair for the others that did it the right way, that actually waited and applied.”
“The university will not be issuing a statement about this,” wrote John Morgan, associate vice president for public relations to The Chronicle.
