Submitted by Javid Siddiqi
I believe that the true measure of a public servant is often revealed not in speeches or headlines, but in how they respond when an individual or family is facing a moment of crisis. My family experienced such a moment, and I will always be grateful that Representative Hector
Arzeno was there to help us.
I came to the United States from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021. I applied for asylum while my son was still a child. During the lengthy immigration process, my son turned 21. In 2025, he was taken into ICE custody and remained detained for more than 90 days.
For our family, those months were filled with fear and uncertainty. At one point, for several days, we did not know where my son was or how to reach him. It was an extraordinarily difficult time. I was also working with Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Greenwich, helping provide immigration support services to refugees in Connecticut, while trying to navigate this deeply personal crisis in my own family.
In our time of need, I contacted Representative Hector Arzeno and asked for his help. He did not simply offer words of encouragement and move on, he listened to our situation, provided tremendous moral support, and went above and beyond to follow my son’s case.
He became a voice for our family at a time when we felt powerless. He helped us navigate through the systems and followed the case until my son’s immigration court hearing.
Eventually, my son appeared before an immigration judge and was granted asylum. Today, he is attending university, working for an insurance company, and waiting for his green card. After everything our family endured, seeing my son continue his education, work, and build a future in this country is deeply meaningful to us.
I share this experience because I believe personal acts of service matter. Representative Hector Arzeno showed us compassion when we were frightened, attention when we felt unheard, and support when our family needed someone to stand with us. I saw firsthand that he was willing to take the concerns of one family seriously and follow through.
I have always seen Representative Hector Arzeno as someone who thinks about his constituents, his community, and the values that should guide public service. My experience reinforced that view. Whatever challenges or differences may exist in public life, I believe it is important to recognize when a public servant chooses to help a family in need and treats that responsibility with humanity and dignity.
My family will always remember what Representative Hector Arzeno did for us during one of the most difficult chapters of our lives. I am grateful for his service to our community and, most importantly, for the compassion he showed my son and our family when we needed it most.
Editor’s note: Letters to the editor about candidates in the Nov 3, 2026 election, we will accept letters for consideration from Oct 1 to the 27. The deadline is a week before the election: Oct 27 at 12:00 noon. There is typically a backlog of letters received right up to the deadline, so we will continue to publish some of those letters after the deadline.