ICE enforcement grinds down economy, stokes fear among some in parts of Connecticut

Activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents is putting a chill on the economy in parts of Connecticut after an estimated 100 people were recently grabbed off the streets of Danbury and other communities.

The immigration enforcement has left fear in its wake.

Business slowing down, people afraid to come out, and sales dropping are going to eventually affect employment. That's the message Ariel Perez shared Monday with Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

"We're going to be revealing to the American people what they're doing here," Blumenthal said of ICE agents.

For much of last week, Danbury was a center of enforcement. Federal agents grabbed dozens of people and shipped them to detention centers as far away as Colorado.

Many were seeking permission to remain in the U.S., including Kim Rivas's fiance.

"It's so sad. He had nothing criminal going on. He pays his taxes every year. He has a lawyer. He does everything right," Rivas said.

Blumenthal says less than 10% of those arrested in recent sweeps had pending criminal charges.

"The [Trump] administration promised it was going to go after the worst of the worst. That is not what's happening," Blumenthal said.

"There's one gentleman that we hear of got detained, has been in this country 30 years, has a tax ID number, a work authorization, and was in the process of his green card," Alves added.

The Department of Homeland Security told CBS News New York it is empowered to enforce the law and is doing just that, and some residents are posting their support on social media sites.

But others in Danbury are organizing, helping immigrants to know their rights. They are also planning a day of protest Wednesday.

"This is a crisis. We're seeing this not only in Connecticut but across the country," said Joe Hill, of the group Danbury Unites for Immigrants.