Students and recent graduates of Francis T. Maloney High School in Meriden led a protest earlier today, in defiance of ICE’s arrest and detention of Kevin Rosero Moreno and his father last week. Rosero Moreno, a graduate of Maloney High, was taken into ICE custody at an immigration hearing in Hartford, just days before the school’s graduation ceremony.
“I think it was obviously very noticeable that there was a member of the community missing,” said Chad Cardillo, a social studies teacher at Maloney High and a Councilor for the City of Meriden. “It was a balance of celebration for all the other students, but it was also very noticeable that he wasn’t there, that he wasn’t able to celebrate with them.”
Rosero Moreno and his father are reportedly being held at an ICE detention facility in Texas, though it is not known what their current immigration status is, nor the purpose of their detention. One protestor, Leslie Navarret of Milford, said that Rosero Moreno is of Ecuadorian descent. Samantha and Rei, two recent Maloney graduates who did not give their last names, shared Cardillo’s belief that his absence was obviously felt.
Samantha, who identified as one of the leading organizers of the event, said it was “heartbreaking that he couldn’t celebrate with everybody else after so many years of dedication.” Samantha, fluent in Spanish and English, said she would occasionally assist Rosero Moreno and a group of his friends, as they primarily spoke Spanish. She described Rosero Moreno as “amazing,” and described the group as a whole as being “really nice, and just wanting to be educated and have a future.”
“Everybody was talking about it, regardless of political views and values,” said Rei. “His lack of presence was definitely felt by the entire community.”
The protestors marched down the sidewalk of East Main Street in Meriden, carrying signs and chanting slogans such as “justice for one, justice for all,” “bring Kevin home,” and “this is what democracy looks like.” Several protestors shared that they had heard of the event via social media. Police were present to advise protesters to keep on the sidewalks, and ensure they remained safe from side street traffic, while passing cars frequently honked in support.
The group was large and diverse, composed not only of Maloney students and teachers, but clergy members, activists and concerned state residents. Rowan Fisher, who also identified as one of the event’s main organizers, said that he and other students wore stickers on their caps during the ceremony to show support for Rosero Moreno. Fisher estimated that he and Samantha added about 70 Maloney students to a group chat in preparation for the event and reached out to advocacy groups for support.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of his close friends, and the thing I hear the most is that he’s an incredibly hardworking and loyal person,” said Fisher. “Everytime I speak to them there’s, like, a deep sadness.”
Protestors shared several reasons for why they came to th event. Navarett said that she too was Ecuadorean, and that it “could have been my kid, could have been my cousins.” Branddon Arroyo, Chair of the Meriden Pride Committee, and Stephen Tomczak, an associate professor at SCSU, both shared their belief that an attack on the rights of one is an attack on the rights of all. Perhaps most ubiquitous, however, were protestors’ frustrations over both the timing of Rosero Moreno’s arrest as well as the setting in which it occurred, arguing that targeting those who attend their immigration hearings only punishes those that wish to follow the law.
“They’re snatching people who are trying to follow the law and go to their immigration check-ins, and they’re putting people in a very hard position,” said Greta Blau, a Hamden resident and mother of four. “If you don’t show up, then you’re a criminal, and then if you do show up, they arrest you.”
Cardillo shared similar concerns, saying enforcement actions such as Rosero Moreno’s are indicative of a step beyond the Trump administration official’s promises of primarily targeting violent criminals.
“Originally, what was said by the federal administration was that they were going to go after criminals, people who had broken the law,” said Cardillo. “It seems like they’re going beyond that at this point, going after people who are going to their regularly scheduled appointments, people who are trying to do what they were told they were supposed to do and being punished for it.”
Samantha said she was motivated to organize the protest out of her belief that children should feel safe going to school regardless of their immigration status, a sentiment echoed by Gov. Ned Lamont earlier this week, per News 8.
“I really worry about ICE and going after our schools,” Lamont said. “There may be some special circumstances in this case that I don’t want to get into, but I want everyone to know we’re looking out for our kids and you’re safe in our schools.”
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