Press Releases
11/26/2019
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON RELEASE OF WAYZARO WALTON
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement today after Wayzaro Walton was released from federal detention.
The Board of Immigration Appeals granted Walton a stay of deportation on October 15, but she has remained in federal custody and separated from her family until today.
"Wayzaro Walton will be home for Thanksgiving, and I could not be happier for her, her wife Tamika and their daughter. This family has gone through unimaginable and needless trauma, and for them to be able to spend the holidays together is a true blessing. While this holiday will undoubtedly be brighter due to this news, we cannot relent in our fight to secure permanent relief for Wayzaro Walton and her family. I will continue to defend Connecticut's pardon process to ensure Wayzaro Walton and other Connecticut residents receive the relief they are legally entitled to by our state's Pardon Waiver Clause," said Attorney General Tong.
On September 3, Attorney General Tong personally defended the legitimacy of Connecticut's pardon process before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Walton v. Barr. On July 22, Attorney General Tong also personally argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in a similar matter, Thompson v. Barr.
Last month, Attorney General Tong sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Executive Office for Immigration Review in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut seeking a declaratory judgment protecting the legitimacy of Connecticut's pardons.
The Board of Immigration Appeals has yet to rule on the merits of the case, and issued a stay of deportation while they decide the matter.
- Twitter: @AGWilliamTong
- Facebook: CT Attorney General
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
860-808-5324 (office)
Consumer Inquiries:
860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov