Sead “Seyo” Cecunjanin, a West Hartford business owner, was detained by ICE on June 20, 2026. He entered the United States illegally in 1997 with a forged Dutch passport and received a removal order that same year. A prior DUI conviction added to his criminal record.
Despite the removal order, Cecunjanin left the country in 2024 and was allowed back into the United States under the current administration. He remained in the state until his subsequent ICE detention.
In September 2018, Cecunjanin registered to vote in Connecticut, affirming U.S. citizenship on the application. The registration was processed the same day after a request from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The application included a legal warning that a false citizenship claim could result in up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Cecunjanin signed the form, confirming the false statement.
Later, the local registrar’s office provided the registration card to a requester, showing that Cecunjanin was an active voter who could have participated in elections from 2018 through 2023, including at King Philip School.
The case raises questions about voter eligibility enforcement and the interaction between state agencies and immigration status. It highlights how a DMV request can lead to the registration
