Activist pepper-sprayed by ICE agent outside Meriden courthouse
Sep 23, 2026Meriden, CT
Nancy Burton, a Meriden resident and member of a rapid response team monitoring ICE activity in Connecticut, was pepper-sprayed by an ICE agent exiting the Meriden courthouse during a confrontation between activists and agents. Burton said she was stepping away from the officer after he demanded she move when he deployed the spray, saying "He wanted to use his pepper spray, he didn't have to." She was treated by an emergency medical technician at the scene. The incident occurred as ICE agents detained at least one man at the courthouse, an operation that raised questions about compliance with Connecticut's Trust Act, which limits immigration enforcement at courthouses and bans masked law enforcement.
