Blumenthal Backed Release of Illegal Immigrant on Voter Rolls
Sen. Richard Blumenthal is facing renewed scrutiny after records showed that an illegal immigrant whose release from ICE custody he supported was registered to vote in Connecticut.
The records involve Seyo Cecunjanin, a Montenegrin national who was registered through the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles in 2018. The documents were obtained through a public-records request by the West Hartford Republican Town Committee, which later posted them on X.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson criticized Cecunjanin’s immigration history in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Cecunjanin has made a mockery of our immigration laws on several occasions for more than two decades,” the spokesperson said.
According to DHS, Cecunjanin first entered the United States illegally in 1997 using a fraudulent Dutch passport. He received a final order of removal later that year, but the order remained in effect for more than 25 years.
He left for Serbia in July 2024 and returned roughly two weeks later. DHS says the Biden administration released him back into the United States, despite the outstanding deportation order. He was later arrested on June 20.
Blumenthal and other Connecticut Democratic officials had publicly pushed for Cecunjanin’s release. They held a press conference and pointed to letters and public advocacy after he was detained.
In a July 3 statement celebrating Cecunjanin’s release, Blumenthal said, “His courage and faith are a lesson to all of us on this 250th national birthday. I look forward to welcoming him home. ICE seizing and detaining him was cruel and unconscionable. He was never a flight risk, or a danger to anyone,”
Blumenthal added, “I’ll support his efforts to gain permanent legal status and more. Welcome home, Seyo,”
Connecticut officials say the voter registration did not result in an illegal ballot. Cindy Wolfe Boynton, communications director for the secretary of state’s office, said Cecunjanin never voted.
“Our records show that he registered to vote through the DMV in 2018. He was marked as an inactive voter in January 2023 after failing to respond to a routine National Change-of-Address canvass asking him to confirm his name and address,” Boynton said. “An inactive voter remains on the voter rolls but cannot vote until they confirm or update their registration information, as required by state and federal law.”
The disclosure quickly sparked criticism online and renewed questions about voter registration safeguards. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., wrote, “It happened again,”
Conservative account Libs of TikTok posted:
https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2079737515137999288
“HOLY CRAP The illegal alien who Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal and other Democrat officials rallied to support after he was detained by ICE… IS REGISTERED TO VOTE IN CT despite not being a citizen!”
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson also weighed in:
https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/2079914366934393177
“WHOA: Illegal Alien That Democrats Defended from Deportation Is Registered Voter. Senator Blumenthal and Connecticut Democrats tried to protect him,”
Fox News Digital reported that it contacted the West Hartford Republican Town Committee and Blumenthal’s office for comment.