DENVER — In a sweeping nine-day enforcement operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 243 immigrants without permanent legal status in the Denver metro area, the agency confirmed this week.
The arrests took place between July 12 and July 20, with support from several federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations Denver, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ICE’s Dallas field office, the IRS, and others.
ICE said about 50 of those arrested are facing charges ranging from assault and theft to DUI, with one suspect wanted for murder and another for human trafficking. Four individuals are allegedly members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The agency noted that 50 people already had final removal orders.
“By partnering with federal agencies, we have successfully apprehended individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety,” said Robert Guadian, Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Denver. He also criticized Colorado’s state law, which limits cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE, including holding individuals past their release dates for immigration enforcement.
ICE declined to provide further details on the charges or confirm how many of those arrested have since been deported. The agency did name one individual who was deported after being convicted of murder and DUI.
The detained individuals come from 17 countries, including Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
This enforcement effort marks a significant uptick in arrests. According to the Deportation Data Project, ICE averaged about 104 arrests per nine-day period in Colorado since May. The previous high was 165 arrests from June 9 to June 17, with 60 involving individuals with criminal convictions.
Criticism from immigrant advocates was swift.
Karen Orona, communications manager for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, called the operation an attack on vulnerable communities.
“Every detention steals from our communities,” she said. “ICE targets asylum seekers, green card holders, and parents of U.S. citizens, then denies them due process in a system where legal help is a privilege, not a right. No human being deserves to be disappeared into detention camps or deported to danger.”
Concerns about expanded enforcement are growing. The recently passed federal tax cut and spending bill allocates $170 billion for immigration enforcement, including $75 billion for ICE, a move seen by advocates as fueling more detentions and deportations under the Trump administration.
Six new ICE detention sites in Colorado are reportedly under consideration, according to documents obtained by the ACLU. The state already houses a private immigration detention center in Aurora, operated by GEO Group.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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