The desires of a liberal congressman in a difficult reelection campaign, the apolitical son of an immigrant father detained without public explanation by ICE, and a conservative talk radio host establishing a brand, collided Monday at a press conference destined, or perhaps designed, to go viral.
U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, D-1st District, called the press conference outside town hall in West Hartford to denounce ICE and demand the release of Seyo Cecunjanin, the owner of Portobello, a restaurant on the Park Road business corridor connecting Hartford and West Hartford.
“This isn’t China. This isn’t Russia. This is West Hartford, Conn., in the United States of America,” Larson said.
Reese Hopkins, the evening drive-time host of “Reese on the Radio” on WTIC, the 50,000-watt AM radio station, and his personal manager, Adam Laird, waited to push back at what they say is the reflexive denunciation of the Trump administration.
And they did, Hopkins acknowledging later that his option for politicians who won’t come on his show is confrontation.
“My bottom line is you can spend 15 minutes with me on the air, or you can have a five-minute viral moment in public. I don’t want the one in public,” said Hopkins, who joined WTIC 1080 a year ago. “Come on the show, and I won’t be here.”
Caught in the crossfire was 22-year-old Emir Cecunjanin, who witnessed his father’s arrest outside the Dunkin’ shop on Park Road on June 20, the day before Father’s Day. He says five unmarked cars screeched to a halt as Cecunjanin and two of his three sons exited with bagels and coffee.
The agents had guns drawn and little to say, Emir said. They offered no explanation for the arrest. A neighbor with political connections suggested they speak out, while warning publicity can bring unintended consequences.
Larson was accompanied Monday by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, state lawmakers, municipal officials, a Park Road business leader and an immigration advocate, all present to signal their support for the Cecunjanin family and, once again, forcefully question the tactics of federal immigration agents under Trump.
“We’ve seen this movie before. We want it to end the same way with the release of Seyo back to his community and family,” Blumenthal said. “We are going to pummel the Department of Homeland Security with demands for information about why Seyo was seized in this way.”
Seyo Cecunjanin’s precise immigration status was unclear Monday. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1997 from Montenegro, one of the provinces in the former Yugoslavia, a federation that fell into chaos and ethnic violence in 1990s. He settled in West Hartford. His sons were born here.
Blumenthal said he believes that Cecunjanin had a pending application to become a permanent resident when he was arrested. But whatever his status, Blumenthal said, the dramatic arrest and detention were unwarranted: Cecunjanin already was in the system, awaiting a resolution.
“There is no excuse, no reason for it. Seyo is not a flight risk,” Blumenthal said. “He is not a danger to the community. In fact, he is about the opposite of what normally would be regarded as a flight risk.”
Tracy Flater, a co-founder of Playhouse on Park in West Hartford and the co-president of the Park Road business association, said Cecunjanin was a friend, neighbor and integral player on Park Road.
“Park Road is not just a street. It’s a community,” she said. “And communities are built by people, people who show up, who invest, who give back, who make the place around them simply better — simply by being a part of it. Seyo is exactly that kind of person.”
Hopkins pounced when Larson welcomed questions, suggesting the press conference was premature, given that the congressman had no precise information about why Cecunjanin had been detained. Larson replied it was part of a pattern. They argued, speaking over each other.
“I’m not trying to be argumentative,” Hopkins said.
“No, you’re not trying to be argumentative,” Larson replied, sarcastically.
“You will tell us all day that Trump is the tyrant,” Hopkins said, questioning if Larson was seeking attention, or help for people like Cecunjanin. “You wish to protect them? Or are we just using this as an opportunity to grandstand? That’s my question.”
Blumenthal interjected, his voice calm.
“You know, you ask a good question,” he said.
“I hope so,” Hopkins said.
“Why isn’t the immigration system working. And the answer is this administration has failed to provide the resources,” Blumenthal said, noting that the ranks of immigration judges have been thinned. “And the system is so gridlocked, so dysfunctional, that that they can’t resolve their legal status and they go on living in this country, contributing and working and raising families.”
From there, the press conference devolved.
A reporter tried to clarify what Larson and Blumenthal knew about Cecunjanin’s immigration status.
“Illegal status,” yelled Jonathan DeBarros from the sidelines. He is a Republican candidate for Congress in the 5th District.
“How would you know?” replied the manager of Portobello, a woman who only identified herself as “Dee.” “You might want to shut up. You don’t have the facts on this, right?”
“I got enough facts on this,” DeBarros replied. “You shut up.”
DeBarros noted that Larson seemed to confuse Dee with U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District. When Dee arrived after the start of the news conference, Larson had said, “And I see the arrival of one of my colleagues, Jahana Hayes, who we’ll invite up, as well.”
“John Larson thought you was Jahana Hayes. He thinks all Black women look the same,” DeBarros said. Hayes, Dee and DeBarrros are Black.
“They don’t look like me, baby,” Dee said. “Park it.”
Larson eventually returned to the reporter whose question was pending.
“The gentleman has the floor,” Larson said. “Would you please allow him to speak?”
The question was repeated.
“We’re trying to ascertain as many details,” Blumenthal said. “If we learned anything by the end of the day we’ll get back to you.”
By late afternoon, Larson’s office said Cecunjanin had “valid employment authorization documentation” and previous permission by immigration authorities to travel outside the U.S. to visit and his dying father and return.
“By all accounts, Mr. Cucunjanin is doing everything that our complicated immigration system is asking of him and raising three upstanding young men on his own while running small businesses and members of the community,” said Charles Perosino, a spokesman for Larson’s congressional office.
The press office for ICE did not respond.
Larson is facing a four-way primary in August for the Democratic nomination. The press event was organized by his congressional office, but his campaign staff also was present — as was Luke Bronin, the former Hartford mayor challenging Larson.
Bronin, who won the Democratic convention endorsement in May, made no effort to speak at the news conference. But he was happy to speak when approached by a reporter.
“I think there are moments when you put politics aside,” Bronin said. “And this is about the family, and this is about standing together against ICE and for a country that can bring some sanity and some compassion back to its immigration policy.”
