Colorado lawmakers demand full investigation of ICE ‘death cards’ left in detainees’ vehicles
Voces Unidas/Courtesy photo
Democratic members of Colorado’s congressional delegation on Monday demanded “a formal and detailed briefing” on ICE activities in Eagle County late last month, specifically allegations immigration officials left so-called “death cards” in abandoned vehicles along Interstate 70 in EagleVail after detaining several local residents who were on their way to work in Vail.
U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, whose 2nd Congressional District includes Vail and most of Eagle County, joined Sens. John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet and other members of Colorado’s delegation in condemning the cards and making a series of demands in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
“As the son of immigrants and the father of two young children, I am horrified by the abuses being committed by the Trump administration — from the streets of Minneapolis to right here in Eagle County,” Neguse wrote in a statement to the Vail Daily. “These outrageous, aggressive intimidation tactics are meant to stoke fear among our neighbors, and it is immoral and wrong. This administration must be held accountable, and we cannot allow this to continue unchecked.”
By Feb. 13, Neguse and the other lawmakers want “a written report detailing the findings of the ongoing DHS investigation into the incident, an independent investigation by the DHS Office of Inspector General into the activities of the Denver Field Office, which oversees ICE activity in Eagle County, and a written confirmation of any disciplinary or corrective actions taken.”
In late last January, ICE Denver public affairs confirmed to the Vail Daily there is an internal DHS investigation into the incident:
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“ICE is investigating this situation but unequivocally condemns this type of action and/or officer conduct. Once notified, ICE supervisors acted swiftly to address the issue,” a Department of Homeland Security official said in written statement provided by ICE Denver public affairs. “The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility will conduct a thorough investigation and will take appropriate and swift action.”
ICE Denver public affairs wrote in an email Tuesday that “there is no further statement beyond what was provided last week.” The agency also has not responded to multiple requests for information on the number of people detained and the charges they are facing.
Alex Sánchez, president and CEO of Voces Unidas, an immigrant rights advocacy organization based in Glenwood Springs, first flagged what the group deemed “racist death cards” in a Jan. 22 blog post.
Ace of Spades playing cards labeled ICE Denver Field Office with the address and phone number of ICE’s detention facility in Aurora were left in multiple abandoned vehicles after at least seven people were detained and transported out of Eagle County. Family members who went to retrieve the vehicles found the cards, Sánchez said.
“We are disgusted by ICE’s actions in Eagle County,” Sánchez wrote in an email statement to the Vail Daily on Tuesday. “Leaving a racist death card behind after targeting Latino workers is deliberate intimidation rooted in a long history of racial violence. This is an abuse of power and a clear attempt to terrorize our community.”
Asked about the response of Colorado’s congressional delegation, Sánchez continued:
“We brought these incidents to the attention of our congressional delegation last week, and we are pleased to see Senator Hickenlooper and others from our Congressional Delegation taking strong action. We fully support their calls for an independent OIG investigation into the Denver Field Office and a full briefing from DHS. Our community deserves accountability and a fundamental overhaul of ICE’s lawless tactics, including the use of unmarked vehicles and fake traffic stops to intimidate Latino families.”
In their letter to Noem, lawmakers accused ICE agents in Eagle County of masquerading as local law enforcement, which, by Colorado law, cannot engage in federal immigration enforcement.
“We are deeply concerned by the allegations that the federal agents were utilizing sirens to falsely act as local law enforcement,” the letter to Noem reads. “This behavior leads individuals to believe they are lawfully required to pull over for a traffic violation when in reality, the federal government has no authority over local or state traffic regulations. Federal agents acting in disguise as local law enforcement is misconduct and should be treated as such.”
Local law enforcement advises calling 911 for emergencies or Vail PD at 970-479-2200 for non-emergencies. Voces Unidas can be reached at 970-340-8501. People also can reach out to the new Colorado Attorney General’s Office public complaint system with ICE concerns.
