Protesters rally against ICE in Colorado Springs
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Protestors gathered at an anti-ICE protest at Centennial Hall in Downtown Colorado Springs Tuesday, July 22. The approximately 30-person group marched from Centennial Hall to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, just a few blocks away.
Passing cars honked in support, drawing cheers from the protesting crowd.
“I think that it is horrible what is happening to the immigrants in our country. And it should not be happening,” said Jennifer Mullins, one of the protesters and a member of the El Paso County Progressive Veterans, a social welfare nonprofit group of veterans, active duty military, and their families.
Also on Tuesday, more than 70 people asked the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners to oppose the proposed facilities, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.
The protest emerged in response to documents unveiled by the Colorado ACLU that named six locations in Colorado as potential sites for ICE detention centers, two of which are in Colorado Springs. The proliferation of ICE detention centers is supported by the passage of the Trump Administration's “big, beautiful bill” that allocated $45 billion for immigration detention centers, according to NPR.
“It is a very important thing for us to remember that this money is not coming out of thin air. It was a conscious decision to put taxpayer money to build these types of facilities and to lock our neighbors behind bars, separated from their families, instead of doing these other things that could benefit our communities,” said Eunice Cho, Senior Counsel at the ACLU.
The mayor’s office declined an interview. Joe Hollmann, the chief communications officer of the mayor’s office, provided the following statement:
"We are aware of reports that the federal government is considering building detention centers in Colorado Springs. Immigration matters are under the sole authority of the federal government, and the City has not been involved in any planning or communication related to these reported facilities. Our top priority remains the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our community."
The El Paso County Commissioners sent Rocky Mountain PBS a statement as well:
"El Paso County Commissioners fully support the efforts of our federal partners, including ICE, to secure our borders, enforce immigration laws, and remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities. We have consistently supported President Trump’s strong border enforcement policies and value the ongoing work of our federal partners to help keep El Paso County safe — priorities that matter to our residents in the wake of President Biden’s failed catch-and-release policies, which have allowed dangerous criminals into our communities. While we are not directly involved and have no specific knowledge of ICE’s plans regarding local facilities, we continue to support their role in promoting national and community safety."
The protest at Centennial Hall came just over a month after anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. The unrest made national headlines after the Trump administration deployed the National Guard, a move that prompted backlash from Democratic state governor Gavin Newsom.
The protest in Colorado Springs on Tuesday remained peaceful.
Adam Gillard, a member of the progressive grassroots organization 50501 and the Progressive Veterans, was at the protest wearing a bright green vest, along with other volunteers who wore bright colored vests and helped marshal protestors from Centennial Hall to the Sheriff’s office.
“We got folks at the county commissioner speaking in there and just kind of, saying no to the ICE facilities that they're trying to build here. So we got our folks out here just to make sure everybody stays safe and stays peaceful,” said Gillard.
Cho said that a question that showed up in the ACLU’s request for information showed that ICE considers potential roadblocks to creating a new detention facility, including local backlash. She said that they certainly take local protests into account and that deterrence is a really important factor as to whether or not facilities are opened in specific locations.
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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