ICE Detains Bridgeport Father at Bus Stop, Drawing Backlash from Connecticut Leaders

A Bridgeport father was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while sitting in a car with his 16-year-old son as he prepared to drop him off at school in New Haven.

The May 15 incident sparked widespread criticism on social media and from Connecticut officials. The arrest was part of “targeted operations,” an ICE spokesperson said in a statement.

According to officials, Javier Anibal Melgar, a native of El Salvador, was arrested at 1259 Park Ave. in Bridgeport.

State Rep. Christopher Rosario said he learned about the incident while dropping off his own 16-year-old daughter at school.

“The child in question was 16, my daughter is 16,” said Rosario, a Democrat who represents the district where the incident occurred. “I immediately thought of her, and if that was at our bus stop, and the impact that would have not only on the child but also on the classmates. We’re human after all,” the Connecticut Post reported.

“I know that it was a traumatizing situation for those kids on that bus,” Rosario added.

At the time of the arrest, Melgar’s son was sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle near a school bus stop.

ICE officers said the boy’s mother was contacted and arrived to pick him up safely before his father was taken into custody.

Make the Road Connecticut and the Bridgeport Rapid Response Network are currently supporting the student and his family, along with “other families affected by this traumatic incident,” according to Mary Elizabeth Smith, deputy director of Make the Road Connecticut.

The family is receiving legal assistance as well as emotional support.

“Multiple children and families around the bus stop expressed fear about returning to school on Monday, and we have volunteers and community members engaged in different ways to support these families,” she added.

The student attends Achievement First Amistad High School in New Haven. The school’s executive director, Amy D’Angelo, said, “Achievement First does not comment on specific reports regarding law enforcement activity involving students or families.”

“Our schools educate all students, regardless of background,” she added. “We do not ask about or collect information regarding a student’s or family’s immigration status. We also work to ensure that families understand their rights and the policies that govern public school access and student privacy.”

ICE claimed that Melgar entered the United States illegally on May 9, 2005, and remained in the country despite an immigration judge ordering his removal on October 6, 2005.

Authorities said Melgar continued living in the United States unlawfully for more than two decades. Melgar’s family is focused on navigating the situation and has requested privacy as they process the events of the past several days.

State Attorney General William Tong said no child deserves to be separated from a parent while waiting for a school bus, adding that such incidents “traumatize kids.”