West Hartford Undocumented Immigrant's Voter Registration Sparks Policy Scrutiny

Sead “Seyo” Cecunjanin, a Montenegrin national, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in West Hartford, Connecticut on June 20, 2024 for immigration violations and a DUI. He was released on July 4 after support from congressional representatives and other politicians.

State records show Cecunjanin was listed as an active voter in West Hartford after registering in 2018 through Connecticut’s motor‑voter system while obtaining a driver’s license, despite not being a U.S. citizen. No evidence indicates he ever voted; the registration was later marked inactive. The discovery prompted the West Hartford Republican Town Committee to request voter‑registration documents and raised questions about the accuracy of voter‑registration safeguards, especially after a similar non‑citizen registration issue was reported in New Jersey.