Last week, thousands of people protested in Denver on Wednesday and Saturday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted raids across the city. Protesters showed support for undocumented immigrants and expressed anger at Donald Trump’s harsh immigration policies.
Amanda Starks, a local artist who attended the rally, said, “We’re here to stand with our neighbors and say no to the threats from the Trump administration.” She added, “Things are worse now than in 2016. Back then, we thought Republicans would stand up to Trump. Now, they’re all supporting him, and we’re facing a bigger challenge. But this is bringing our community together.”
Trump has focused on Colorado, a state known for being welcoming to immigrants. He named his deportation plan “Operation Aurora” after a Denver suburb. Trump and conservative media claim the area has been “taken over” by a Venezuelan gang called Tren de Aragua (TdA).
On his first day in office, Trump signed an order to cut funding to the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), a nonprofit that provides free legal help to undocumented immigrants. Colorado has one of the lowest rates of legal representation for undocumented immigrants because so many people need help.
Last week, heavily armed SWAT teams raided apartment buildings in Denver and Aurora early in the morning. Fox News crews even joined some raids. Out of 30 arrests, only one confirmed gang member was caught.
With about 155,000 undocumented immigrants in Colorado fearing for their safety, many locals are stepping up to support them. Despite challenges, RMIAN recently trained 100 Colorado lawyers in immigration law. These lawyers, though not specialists, have volunteered to help.
When ICE raids happen, volunteers from groups like the Immigrant Legal Resource Center hand out information about legal rights. At Saturday’s rally outside the Denver capitol, activists used megaphones to lead chants like, “When ICE shows up?” The crowd responded, “Don’t open the door!”
Amanda Starks and others have been attending weekly meetings at a local church to learn how to help immigrants legally. One organizer said over 1,500 people attended a recent meeting.
Protesters also criticized CBZ Management, a New York-based company that manages several properties in Aurora and Denver. The company has been fined for poor living conditions. Last August, CBZ claimed one of their buildings was taken over by TdA gang members, making it hard to provide repairs. Trump repeated these claims during a presidential debate, turning Aurora into an unlikely campaign spot, even though Colorado has voted Democratic since 2008.
Colorado has long been known as a welcoming place for immigrants, especially those crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. In the 1990s, Denver’s mayor, Wellington Webb, supported immigrants and criticized federal persecution. He said Denver would “welcome all” and not tolerate discrimination.
However, some Republicans in Colorado, like former Congressman Tom Tancredo, built their careers on anti-immigrant policies. Tancredo attacked Denver libraries for having Spanish books, called for deporting a high school student, and opposed multiculturalism. His ideas helped shape the anti-immigrant views of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.
Despite the protests, some parts of Colorado still support Trump loyalists like Representative Lauren Boebert. Boebert and two other representatives recently pressured Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, to repeal laws protecting immigrants. Polis, who has supported parts of Trump’s deportation plan, was criticized at the rally. Protesters chanted, “Hey Polis, where are you? We have courage, how about you?”
The march ended peacefully back at the capitol, where organizers handed out more information and announced future events. Katie Leonard, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, said, “We take these threats seriously. What matters is whether the community is prepared and knows their rights when ICE raids happen.” Her group has been tracking ICE raids and sharing locations on social media to help volunteers provide legal advice and information to residents.
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