Guatemalan man's courthouse arrest confirmed as first under new Connecticut law
Jun 22, 2026·Location: Danbury, CT
Country of origin: Guatemala

Edvin Obdulio Barnica-Esquivel was arrested by ICE agents at Danbury Superior Court on June 22, 2026, on a federal charge of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations in 2012 and 2019. A video shared with CT Insider showed at least six ICE agents escorting him out of the courthouse in handcuffs. Connecticut Judicial Branch spokesperson Stephen Ment confirmed this was the first and only courthouse arrest since a new state law took effect May 4, 2026, requiring judicial marshals to verify a warrant beforehand, and said the warrant was verified prior to the detention. ICE, which executed a judicial warrant issued by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti on June 10, 2026, said in a statement that "Connecticut's sanctuary politicians do not control federal law enforcement."
Sources
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