Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on Sunday accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of engaging in “cruelty” and “trying to spread terror and sow fear” during a series of enforcement actions in his home state, according to an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
Blumenthal, a Democrat, said the operations in Danbury, Bridgeport, and Stamford were “destructive” and vowed to shine a spotlight on what he called abuses by the agency, while pushing back on the Trump administration’s characterization of who is being detained.
Details of the ICE Operations
During the interview, host Margaret Brennan noted that nationwide ICE arrests had increased significantly in June and July, and that Connecticut’s governor had said ICE detained dozens of people in Danbury, Bridgeport, and Stamford without informing those cities in advance—despite President Trump’s statement that he would not send ICE into cities that did not ask for help.
Brennan also asked whether the operation had concluded, how many people were arrested, and whether the timing was meant to coincide with the back-to-school period, as Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) has alleged.
Blumenthal responded that his office had learned nothing from ICE, but he estimated that “probably about 100” people were detained and arrested. He emphasized that only a small fraction—”maybe six or seven”—had any kind of criminal history.
“So, the administration saying that it’s detaining the worst of the worst or deporting people with serious criminal history is absolutely belied by the facts,” Blumenthal said. “That’s not what’s happening. In fact, they are seizing people. Many of them have legal status in this country. They may have come here seeking asylum. And they are doing it in a way that is repugnant and inhumane.”
‘The Point Is Cruelty’
Blumenthal did not mince words in describing the intent behind the operations. “The point is cruelty,” he said. “They are trying to spread terror and sow fear in a way that is destructive of those communities.”
The senator announced he would be walking through Danbury the following day with the mayor and hoped to hold a forum later in the week. He noted that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which he chairs, has been conducting “spotlight forums” on alleged ICE abuses.
“I hope to have one in Danbury or in Connecticut later in the week,” he said.
The comments come amid heightened political tensions over immigration enforcement, with Democrats accusing the administration of using fear tactics, while Republicans and ICE officials maintain that they are focused on public safety threats and that local jurisdictions refusing to cooperate complicate enforcement efforts.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/08/30/blumenthal-accuses-ice-of-cruelty-trying-to-spread-terror-and-sow-fear/