Wayzaro Walton. Courtesy photo

Connecticut's top elected leaders are applauding Tuesday afternoon's decision that the federal Board of Immigration Appeals had stayed the deportation of Wayzaro Walton back to her native country, the United Kingdom.

Elizabeth Benton, spokeswoman for Attorney General William Tong, said Wednesday the board will now consider the merits of Walton's case.

Walton's attorney, Erin O'Neil-Baker, who works for the Hartford Legal Group, told the Connecticut Law Tribune Wednesday that Walton had been expected to be deported Thursday.

"When she learned there was a stay, she was screaming and running around the facility [New Hampshire federal detention center] with happiness," O'Neil-Baker said. "We were all thrilled with joy and tears."

Gov. Ned Lamont said in a press release that "Human decency should prevail here. I am glad that she will have an opportunity for her case to be heard in a court of law. She is a legal resident of our state who should be back with her family and have the opportunity to contribute positively to our community."

Walton, a Hartford resident, was moved last week from a Boston-based detention center to one a little more north in New Hampshire. She has been in detention at the orders of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since late March.

Walton's supporters continue to try all legal avenues to allow her to stay in this country. It's not clear when Walton, who the federal government is seeking to deport for felony shoplifting and five misdemeanor convictions, will be allowed to the leave the federal detention center. Walton came to the United States from England when she was 4 years old.

A gubernatorial-appointed board pardoned Walton, 35. But ICE only recognizes pardons that come directly from a state governor.

Tong, who filed sued last week against five U.S. government agencies in federal court, alleges the government is "singling Connecticut out" in rejecting the state's pardons of criminal defendants. Tong raised constitutional and sovereignty issues.

A vocal critic of the Trump administration, Tong, via a press release, said, "I am tremendously relieved for Wayzaro Walton, her wife Tamika and their daughter who have endured unimaginable stress. This is a positive step, but merely the beginning of our fight to defend Connecticut's pardon process to ensure Wayzaro Walton and other Connecticut residents receive the relief under the Pardon Waiver Clause which they are entitled to by law."

In addition to Tong and Lamont, Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Chris Murphy and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin were among those advocating for Walton to remain in Connecticut.

O'Neil-Baker made a pitch to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to intervene, but the three-judge panel ruled Sept. 19 it lacked jurisdiction.

The Board of Immigration Appeals is part of the U.S. Department of Justice. No one from the DOJ's office of public affairs responded to a request for comment Wednesday.

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