Aurora Unidos CSO organizes picket against ICE re-arrest tactics
Aurora, CO – On November 8, about 25 community members gathered for a picket line in front of the south gates of the Aurora GEO Detention Center. The picketers held signs demanding “Legalization for all,” and chanted “¡ICE escucha, estamos en la lucha!”
The message of the morning’s action was stopping “re-detainment” and re-arrest tactics employed by ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that evade detainees’ legal avenues to a writ of habeas corpus.
The action was organized by Aurora Unidos CSO, Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC), and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).
Emil Mondragón, a member of Aurora Unidos CSO, told the crowd, “Habeas corpus is one of the oldest legal safeguards recognized in Western society; this common law allows for detainees to challenge the federal government regarding their detention in court. The fact ICE, and, by default, the current administration, completely disregards this globally recognized law to bring immigrants back into detention is of just more proof of what we already know—they will stop at nothing to push their agenda to traffic human beings and separate families in our community.”
Yoselin Corrales of Aurora Unidos CSO described how one detained individual, who was supported and helped to be released by the CSO, was re-arrested by ICE officers immediately upon being released. “This past week, one of the immigrants who our Family Liaison Team was working with experienced this exact injustice, right here, at this very facility. After being arrested on a business trip in Wyoming in April, the individual spent months here awaiting his freedom, and, just recently, it was finally granted when a federal judge ordered his release.”
Corrales continued, “After only one step out the door, he was promptly arrested again by five ICE officers who were waiting for him outside.”
According to court testimony, at least 18 detainees were released and re-arrested at the GEO facility over the course of about a week.
DACAC Chair, Miles Thompson, stated, “ICE’s latest practice of re-arresting people here in Aurora, a violation of federal court orders, is nothing short of a scare tactic to demobilize and strike fear in immigrant communities.” Thompson continued, “If we learned one thing from this past year, it’s that movements built upon the peoples’ struggle cannot be beat.”
Jeanette Vizguerra, an immigrant activist and former detainee who is currently battling deportation proceedings, stated, “Every day, ICE changes their tactics. It is very important to document the tactics. Document the cases. Document everything.” Vizguerra went on to explain that the buses leaving the facility that morning would be taking detainees to the Denver International Airport to be deported or moved to a different ICE facility.
On November 9, the day after the protest, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney became the latest in a series of federal court proceedings to rule the practice of re-detainment as illegal. Judge Sweeney is also considering contempt proceedings for agencies practicing re-arrest tactics.