West Hartford GOP: ICE Detainee Illegally Was Registered To Vote

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The West Hartford Republican Town Committee this week released voter registration records it obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request that it says show restaurateur Sead "Seyo" Cecunjanin was registered to vote in West Hartford from 2018 until his voter registration became inactive in 2023.

The records were released weeks after Cecunjanin was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 20 and later released from federal custody following intervention from Connecticut's congressional delegation.

According to documents posted by the Republican town committee, Cecunjanin submitted a voter registration application dated Sept. 27, 2018, listing a West Hartford address and checking the box indicating he was a U.S. citizen.

The application was accepted the following day.

A printout from the Connecticut Voter Registration System shows Cecunjanin's registration status became effective Sept. 28, 2018, and remained active until April 25, 2023, when it was changed to inactive.

The records also indicate he was registered as an unaffiliated voter assigned to vote at King Philip School.

A voter history section lists the 2023 municipal election with a notation indicating no vote was recorded, and the voter had moved out of town.

The West Hartford GOP said the records were obtained after Republican Vice Chairman Kyle Zelazny submitted a FOI request on July 16 seeking Cecunjanin's voter registration history, voting participation and related records.

In a statement accompanying the release, the committee said the documents show "an illegal immigrant was an active, registered voter in West Hartford" and argued the registration originated from a Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles request, citing an entry in the voter registration system that reads, "NEW/DMV Request received on 09/27/2018."

The committee also said the registrars were unable to answer its request regarding the mechanism by which Cecunjanin became registered to vote.

The records released by the committee do not establish whether Cecunjanin ever cast a ballot.

The voter history included in the documents identifies the 2023 municipal election and indicates no vote was recorded.

No records showing participation in earlier elections were included in the material released by the committee.

The issue adds another dimension to the political debate surrounding Cecunjanin's immigration case.

Cecunjanin, who owns Portobello Restaurant on Park Road and The Laundry Room on the Ave. on Farmington Avenue, was detained by ICE agents on June 20 outside a Dunkin' in West Hartford.

Federal officials have said he is subject to a final order of removal, while supporters and elected officials have noted he has lived in the United States for decades, is authorized to work, owns local businesses and has been seeking lawful permanent resident status.

Following his release before the July 4 holiday, Democratic elected officials, including U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. John Larson, welcomed the decision and called for immigration reforms.

West Hartford Republicans have defended ICE's enforcement actions and have continued to question Cecunjanin's immigration status and related matters.

West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith said Cecunjanin was registered via the state Department of Motor Vehicles and not the West Hartford Registrar of Voters Office.

He said Cecunjanin's voter status was discovered in 2023 during a "routine canvass" by registrars.

"West Hartford takes the integrity of our elections very seriously. Based on information provided to the town by the registrars of voters, this individual was added to the voter registry through the State’s DMV voter registration process in 2018," Ledwith said in a statement to Patch Thursday.

"During the registrars of voters’ routine canvass of the voter rolls in 2023, the individual was placed on the inactive roll. The town has confirmed that this individual did not vote in any West Hartford election while he was on the active registry."

Patch has reached out to the West Hartford Democratic Town Committee for a response.

From July 3: Detained West Hartford Restaurateur Released From ICE: Officials

From July 2: 'CT Delegation Demands ICE Release Detained West Hartford Business Owner'

From July 1: 'West Hartford GOP Defends ICE After Dems Condemn Restaurateur's Detention'

From June 29: 'Prominent West Hartford Businessman 'Abducted' By ICE: Officials; Outrage Expressed: UPDATE'