Keyla Comes Home

by Thomas Breen, May 12, 2026, New Haven Independent

A Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) nursing student from Ecuador has returned home to Connecticut after spending more than a month in federal immigration detention, including, most recently, in southern Louisiana.

The statewide immigrant-advocacy group CT Students for a Dream announced that news in a Tuesday afternoon press release.

That press release states that Keyla Vasquez-Zuniga was granted a $15,000 bond and released from the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, La., on Saturday, May 9.

Her release came less than a week after an immigration judge granted Vasquez-Zuniga a $15,000 bond, and two days after CT Students for a Dream stepped up its fundraising to help secure her release, cover her legal costs, and help her travel back from Louisiana to Connecticut.

“I’m really thankful for all of the help and support I received from everyone. Your kindness, encouragement, and patience truly meant the world to me. I honestly couldn’t have gotten through everything without the people who stood by my side and believed in me even during this difficult period,” Vasquez-Zuniga is quoted as saying in Tuesday’s press release.

“Every message, and every little act of support made a bigger difference than you probably realize. I’ve learned so much from this experience, and I’ll always be grateful for the love and positivity I was surrounded by. Thank you for always being there for me, for lifting me up when I needed it most, and for reminding me that I’m never alone. I appreciate each and every one of you more than words can explain.”

[To read this article in its entirety, please go to bit.ly/3PBwhjG]

Major Immigrant Protection Bill Signed into Law

by Joelle Fishman, May 10, 2026, People’s World

The successful, hard-fought campaign to expand protections for immigrants in Connecticut was celebrated at the bill signing of SB 397 outside the State Supreme Court. Written following wanton ICE violence in Minnesota and other communities, the bill was championed by New Haven state senator Gary Winfield, chair of the Judiciary Committee.

In a contentious two-day House debate, Connecticut stories of ICE kidnapping immigrant students and parents were shared. “This is a very measured response to federal overreach and a way to protect people living here in the state of Connecticut from, frankly, a lawless and out-of-control ICE,” said Bridgeport state representative Steven Stafstrom.

The omnibus bill creates ‘protected areas’ from immigration enforcement, including schools, hospitals, social service agencies, and houses of worship. It bans agents from wearing masks, allows citizens to sue for constitutional violations, and limits use of automated license plate readers. It prohibits state or local police departments from hiring former federal law enforcement officers found guilty of misconduct, and requires 480 hours of training before officers can be hired by state agencies.

It also gives the state inspector general the right to investigate the use of deadly force by federal agents, and removes immunity from officers who arrest or assault someone taking photos or videotaping their actions.

After passing the Senate, the bill was debated in the House for two days before passing 91-57 along party lines. No Republicans voted in favor.

“Many thanks to everyone who made this possible by testifying, showing up, and spreading the word,” said Tabitha Sookdeo, naming “CT For All organizations that worked tirelessly, members and staff at CT Students for a Dream, ACLU of CT, Husky for Immigrants, Hartford Deportation Defense, Make the Road CT, NHFT, 32 BJ SEIU, SEIU 1199 NE, CT AFL-CIO, GHIAA, and more.”

The Connecticut AFL-CIO joined in support of the rights of immigrant workers. “This bill is a vital step in ensuring that ICE is held accountable to Connecticut’s laws,” said president Ed Hawthorne. “It serves as a reminder that when we raise our voices against injustice, we create real change.”

Hundreds Protest Trump in New London Leading into Coast Guard Commencement

by Mirmina, N. Rosenberg,May 20, 2026, Stamford Advocate

Janet Bannister held a series of hand-drawn emoji signs at McKinley Park on Wednesday, each one reflecting a different emotion she said has defined the Trump administration for her.

“It’s hard to choose between being angry and being sad and being outraged,” said Bannister, a 54-year-old Mansfield resident.

Similar feelings of frustration surfaced throughout the park, where hundreds of other protesters gathered ahead of President Donald Trump’s commencement address to the Coast Guard Academy, which was closed to the public.

The New London protests were the latest outcry from Connecticut residents over Trump’s second-term agenda.

Since Trump took office in January 2025, tens of thousands of demonstrators across the state have rallied against the administration’s immigration crackdown, federal spending cuts and foreign policy decisions while also warning that Trump’s expanding use of executive power threatens democratic norms.

Kirsten Peru, a 21-year-old military spouse from Groton whose family immigrated from Mexico, stood near the park entrance holding a Mexican flag.

Peru, who said it was her first protest, described immigration enforcement as her top concern. The issue is deeply personal for her. She said her mother was deported roughly 20 years ago after coming to the U.S. and giving birth to her.

She attended Wednesday’s protest to “speak up for those who can’t use their voice.” [Full article at bit.ly/4usp8kW]

Death Penalty Abolition Actions

by Scott Langley, Death Penalty Action

[Note to our readers: Connecticut abolished the death penalty in 2012. The struggle to end this barbaric practice continues on in other states.]

For the 33rd consecutive year, from June 29 to July 2, death penalty abolitionists from around the country will gather at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. to call for an end to capital punishment for four days through vigiling, tabling, petition signature gathering, teach-ins, flyering, and fasting. (Fasting is always optional and up to the individual about what works for them.) It is an energizing week of training, advocacy, action, community, reflection and education.

The event is organized by the Abolitionist Action Committee, which is an ad-hoc group of over 50 sponsoring individuals and organizations committed to highly visible and effective public education for alternatives to the death penalty.

During the event, tens of thousands of tourists and locals, from all over the U.S. and throughout the world, pass by our vigil and table, so the opportunity for dialogue and discussion at a real grass-roots level is invaluable to the movement. Additionally, each evening we hear stories from murder victim family members, death row exonerees, death row families and leaders in the national abolition movement.

2026 also marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing executions to resume in the Gregg v. Georgia decision of 1976. So this year there will be a special rally on July 2 at 6 p.m. to say “50 Years of Executions: Not in Our Names!”

We hope you will consider joining anti-death penalty activists who come regularly from all across the United States from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in-between.

Learn more and register today at abolition.org.

The central organization that puts on this event is Death Penalty Action, a national non-profit working to stop executions and abolish the death penalty through advocacy, education, and action. Check out DeathPenaltyAction.org to learn more about other ways you can get involved in the movement – including signing petitions for every scheduled execution in the United States.

America 250: Democracy at a Crossroads

International Festival of Arts and Ideas event

Come to the New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave., on Sunday, June 7!

From 1-2 p.m., hear an eye-opening conversation about democracy, power, and resilience. Democracy Under Pressure: What History Tells Us. What does history actually tell us about the moment we’re living in? Join three of America’s most compelling historians: Elizabeth Hinton, Joanne Freeman, and Beverly Gage — for an eye-opening conversation about democracy, power, and resilience. Reserve a seat at https://www.artidea.org/event/2026/5859.

Then from 2:15-3:15 p.m., you can take part in the workshop Your Voice Belongs Here: How Everyday People Make Change, led by Connecticut lobbyist and former legislative staffer Aurora Melita. In a moment when many people feel concerned about the future of democracy, this interactive Civic 101 workshop offers a practical and empowering starting point. This session breaks down how the legislative process works at the state level — and where everyday voices meaningfully influence public decision-making.  Drawing from her work inside the Connecticut legislature and on state elections, Aurora translates complex systems into clear, conversational explanations that help people feel confident navigating and participating in civic life. Reserve a seat at https://www.artidea.org/event/2026/5860.

From 3:30-4:30 p.m., consider UnCivil Uprising: Can a General Strike Save Democracy. Jack Hitt and Chenjerai Kumanyika, the hosts of the Peabody Award-winning podcast Uncivil ask the question nobody in power wants you to consider:  Can a general strike save  American  democracy?  The most powerful weapon against fascism might be the one we’ve nearly forgotten. To reserve a seat, go to https://www.artidea.org/event/2026/5861. See more Arts and Ideas events at https://www.artidea.org/calendar.

The New Haven Museum is wheelchair-accessible.

West River Peace Garden News

by Friends of the West River Peace Garden

The West River Peace Garden hosted a special gathering and planting on May 9, the day before Mother’s Day, to pay homage to mothers who have passed on. You can read about it here: bit.ly/4f63Bde.

We are planning to have another gathering on August 6 by the Gingko tree in our garden to commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to remember the victims, and to publicly call for peace, an end to all war, and for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Email us at friendsofwestriverpeacegarden@gmail.com for updates on this gathering, or check our Facebook page Friends of the West River Peace Garden or our website westriverpeacegarden.org.

Interested in volunteering in the garden? Email us with the time and day you’d like to join us each week, and we’ll schedule a volunteer shift for others to join you then!

The West River Peace Garden is by Ella Grasso Blvd. between Legion Ave. and MLK Blvd.

Artists for World Peace: SEEING IS BELIEVING afternoon event on May 16, Middletown

JOIN Artists for World Peace (AFWP) as they Celebrate taking care of their 9,394th patient on Tribal Land since bringing our free eye clinics home from Tanzania.

Artists for World Peace lead optometrist, Dr. Soroush Azadi, will speak, along with lead optician Ray Dennis, who also helped open the first clinic in the AFWP Free Health Center in Tanzania 14 years ago.

Dr. Aarlan Aceto will discuss working with children on Rosebud Reservation and will discuss the genetic disorder we discovered is prominent in the eyes of tribal members on the Rosebud Reservation.

Brenda Geer will share the opening of two AFWP free clinics in our home state of Connecticut for the Eastern Pequot and Western Pequot Nations, as well as the Narragansett Tribal Nation in Rhode Island. Brenda has been a long-standing Council Member of the Eastern Pequot Nation, and is a historian of her people’s history.

The Padre Pio Foundation of America will co-host.

In Peace,
Wendy and our AFWP Family

May Day / International Workers’ Day, Friday May 1

Unidad Latina en Acción and the May Day Strong coalition are rallying for May Day on the New Haven Green on Friday, May 1 from noon till 7 p.m., with a march at 5 p.m.

DAY WITHOUT IMMIGRANTS – GENERAL STRIKE! Join us on Friday, May 1,  May Day – International Workers’ Day – on the New Haven Green, for a powerful day of action and community in New Haven!

CALL TO ACTION:

No Work! No School!
No Shopping!

Come be part of a day filled with music, speakers, festival activities, community tabling.

Stand in solidarity, raise your voice, and support immigrant communities!

Friday, May 1, noon till 7 p.m. March at 5 p.m.

Contact: call 475-323-9413, or email: newhavenmayday@gmail.com. Also see maydaystrong.org.

May Day Is Our Day! 

May Day Is Our Day!  Celebrate and Unite Around Demands to Meet Our Needs! Tax the Rich – No Ice – No Wars – Hands Off Our Vote

CT People’s World

Friday May 1 in Hartford at the Capitol 10 a.m. to noon.

Friday May 1 in New Haven on the Green. Noon tabling, 4 p.m. speeches,

5 p.m. March!

Then come together on Saturday, May 2 at 6 p.m. hosted by CT People’s World at 267 Chapel St. (Teachers Union Hall) for a May Day Around the World rally.

WORKING CLASS UNITY  From the Streets to the Polls

UNIDAD DE LA CLASE TRABAJADORA 

De las Calles a las Urnas

Saturday May 2  CT People’s World May Day rally: WORKING CLASS UNITY – From the Streets to the Polls 6 p.m. at 267 Chapel St., New Haven. Refreshments.     May Day Around the World slide show. Greetings. Songs. Contributions accepted. Sign up here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/ctpw2026mayday/

US-Mexico Border and Race Symposium

by Michelle Zacks, Associate Director, Gilder Lehrman Center

Scheduled for Saturday, May 2, this is a one-day symposium at Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse Ave., free and open to the public, called The US-Mexico Border and Race, Past and Present. It is organized by the Gilder Lehrman Center in close collaboration with GLC Associate Research Scholar, Dr. Melissa Torres (Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley). The symposium features a keynote address by Prof. Sonia Hernandez (Texas A&M), followed by two panel discussions and a break-out Q&A session for K-12 teachers. Continental breakfast and lunch will be served, as well as afternoon snacks and beverages.

The program was conceived as a follow-up to the Yale and Slavery project, and the various projects at Yale focusing on the university’s and New Haven’s key roles in the eugenics movement of the early twentieth century. This program will follow that thread by focusing on the xenophobia and white supremacist ideas that have long been embedded in U.S. immigration policy broadly and in the construction and policing of the US-Mexico border in particular. Speakers will connect the histories of violent, racialized border control policies with the contemporary violence of ICE raids, warrantless detention, family separation, concentration camps, deportation, and foreign imprisonment. They also will address how communities within the borderlands continue to develop creative modes to survive and resist these exclusionary forces.

We hope you can join us for this important conversation. For more information, for the full schedule for the day, and to register, please go to bit.ly/4tZBkcu.

‘One, Two, Three, Four, Open Up the Prison Door’

by Stanley Heller, Middle East Crisis Committee

April 17 was Palestine Prisoners’ Day. In New Haven, it was marked by a march starting at the New Haven Green, going up Chapel Street and through Yale, passing by Yale Law School, and back to the Green. Some forty to fifty people marched and chanted despite a light rain. A number of Palestinian flags were carried as were two large banners that called for freedom for Dr. Abu Safiya, the Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who has been locked in various Israeli prisons since December of 2024. Another banner said, “Resist with Palestine Until Liberation.”

An intersection was blocked by the marchers so that a short speech could be delivered.  At Yale, a chant arose demanding that the Yale Corporation divest from Israel and weapons makers.  Basel Al Najjar, who gave one of the speeches, called on the crowd to show no fear and take more actions. He claimed that supporters of Palestine were now the majority. A new poll by CNN does show that Americans are now more sympathetic to Palestinians than to Israelis.

The march was sponsored by We Will Return, the CT Palestine Alliance, UCONN MSA, Students for Justice in Palestine, and American Muslims for Palestine. It began after a Muslim prayer service but march participants were of all creeds. Several TSVN [The Struggle Video News: thestrugglevideo.org] shorts of the march received thousands of views.

 

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