The woman charged in the drunken driving crash that killed an off-duty Connecticut police officer and his longtime girlfriend last month is in the U.S.illegally, federal authorities said Monday, as U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) urged state officials not to release her if she is freed from custody.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital that ICE lodged a detainer against Melissa Esperanza Ramirez Romero, 27, days after the Stamford woman was arrested in connection with the July 13 head-on crash that killed Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside, 38, and Brittany Islami, 34."Melissa Esperanza Ramirez-Romero is a criminal illegal alien with charges for Vehicular Manslaughter and DUI.On July 26, 2026, ICE lodged a detainer against her," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.ICE URGES NORTH CAROLINA TO KEEP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN TRIPLE-FATAL HIT-AND-RUN BEHIND BARSIn a post on X, DHS wrote that "an illegal alien KILLED A COP in Danbury, Connecticut" and urged Connecticut's "sanctuary politicians" to cooperate with ICE and ensure Ramirez is not released back into the community.Melissa Esperanza Ramirez Romero was charged in connection with the July 13 crash that killed Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside and Brittany Islami.
(Danbury Police Department)Ramirez is charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence, traveling unreasonably fast and failure to drive in the proper lane.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XDanbury police said the crash happened around 2:45 a.m.July 13 on Sugar Hollow Road, where a Jeep Compass collided head-on with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.Officers found Whiteside of Danbury and his passenger, Islami of New Milford, dead at the scene.
Ramirez was taken to Danbury Hospital with serious injuries.Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside, who was killed in a July 13 crash in Danbury, Connecticut, shares a moment with hi...