Human Impact Project

Immigration lawyer Jodi Ziesemer said one of her clients, arrested by ICE at Denver International Airport, was detained without officers being able to initially explain the reason for the arrest. Agents later told Ziesemer they believed the woman might have had a 2002 deportation order but could not locate any paperwork because it was not a digital file. The client spent six weeks in a detention center before a federal judge ordered her release; Ziesemer represents four immigrants arrested by ICE at the Denver airport in separate cases.

Isreal Cruz Gonzales, a Mexican national, was arrested by ICE agents at Denver International Airport on August 13, 2026, while attempting to board a Southwest Airlines flight to Sacramento. According to ICE, Gonzales entered the country legally on February 16, 2020, but overstayed his authorized departure date of March 16, 2020. He remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Josue Aldair Alfaro Herrera, a Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) petitioner, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his prolonged civil immigration detention at Aurora Contract Detention Facility after ICE renewed his removal proceedings despite his SIJS status. The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado granted the petition, finding that his prolonged detention violated his constitutional rights and the Administrative Procedure Act. The Court ordered ICE to immediately release Petitioner from immigration detention.

A community member was detained by ICE agents at a Denver DMV office while applying for a driver's license. The person had a pending asylum case, valid work authorization, and no criminal record, according to the post. Their family and church are requesting prayers and calling for justice and respect for the person's dignity while awaiting their release.

Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas, a 27-year-old Ecuadorian au pair and software developer, was detained by plainclothes ICE agents at Denver International Airport while boarding a Southwest Airlines flight to Oakland. She had entered the U.S. lawfully on a J-1 exchange visitor visa in early 2023 and, before that visa expired, filed an immigration application allowing her to remain with federal authorization while her case was pending, according to her attorney Laura Lichter. ICE alleged she had overstayed her visa, but Lichter said Rojas "followed the rules of her program" and worked legally under federal employment authorization as a software developer for a recycling app company in Oakland. Agents in civilian clothing removed her from the jetway and placed her in a Homeland Security van as friends and fellow passengers watched, and the arrest was captured on video that circulated widely amid a broader increase in ICE enforcement at U.S. airports. She was transferred to the Aurora ICE Processing Center, where a federal immigration judge later ordered her release on a $3,000 bond. The family she worked for said, "She is a part of my family. She has never hurt anyone and just lives a quiet life. She came here legally and tried to do everything right."

Emma Landis, a 22-year-old activist and artist, was shot in the right foot by Brandon Booth, a 42-year-old off-duty employee of GEO Group, which operates the Aurora ICE Processing Center in Colorado, during a protest outside the facility on July 17, 2026. The shooting occurred after a verbal confrontation when facility employees began mocking and threatening protesters on the sidewalk. Landis called 911 herself after Booth and his colleagues fled the scene and was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. She requires six to eight weeks of bed rest, which has prevented her from working and engaging in her hobbies. Despite her injury, Landis returned to protest at the facility on Sunday and told supporters she will continue to advocate for closing immigration detention in Colorado. Booth was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, attempted first-degree assault, felony menacing, and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon.

Denise Epieyu was detained by ICE while traveling to work. Her family created a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for legal representation to help Denise navigate the immigration process and secure her release from the GEO detention facility in Aurora, Colorado. The family stated that legal expenses exceed what they can afford on their own.

Agustin Cuesta Terry, a federal immigration detainee, filed a pro se Application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 while detained at the ICE Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. The court found deficiencies in his filing and ordered him to cure them within 30 days, including submitting a proper 28 U.S.C. § 1915 Motion and Affidavit or paying the $5.00 filing fee. The court warned that failure to cure the deficiencies within 30 days would result in dismissal without prejudice.

Carlos Ernesto Guerra Cruz, who arrived in the United States four years ago with a pending asylum case, was detained by ICE on a Saturday following a local incident. He was initially taken to a detention facility in Centennial, Colorado, and after spending the weekend in custody, was told he would be released on Monday. However, as he was being released, ICE took him into custody and transferred him to the ICE detention facility in Aurora, Colorado. His wife Yorliana and their two children, ages 8 and 12, are now facing financial and emotional hardship due to his detention.

At least 12 detainees at the Aurora ICE processing center in Colorado, operated by the Geo Group, contracted tuberculosis after a single confirmed case multiplied to 12 within three days of facility-wide testing. A Mexican man in his 30s detained there reported that infected and healthy detainees were kept together under quarantine in a housing pod of 88 people while the facility's air conditioning failed during a heat advisory with outdoor temperatures near 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The man, who has pre-existing health conditions, received medication twice daily but described conditions as uncomfortable. His U.S. citizen partner expressed concern about the deteriorating situation and questioned why the for-profit operator could not repair the cooling system quickly. Staff provided only electric fans to cool the crowded pod.

Sergio, a Mexican national who immigrated to the U.S. decades ago to escape crime in Chihuahua, was arrested by ICE at a gas station in Colorado Springs on July 9, 2026. He has worked in construction for nearly 40 years while managing partial blindness and medical issues, according to his 22-year-old daughter Inez. Three other men were also detained in the same operation at an unmarked DHS facility in downtown Colorado Springs. Inez said her father "just wanted the American Dream" and described the arrest as "our worst nightmare."

Alva Iris Garcia Atrian is a 56-year-old Mexican citizen who entered the United States lawfully on a border-crossing visa in 1994 and has resided in the US for 32 years. She was apprehended by Immigration and Naturalization Services during an airport raid following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, released on $10,000 bond, and accepted Voluntary Departure from Denver Immigration Court in 2004. On July 3, 2026, she was arrested by ICE at Denver International Airport while attempting to board a domestic flight and was detained without being told the reason for her arrest or given documentation regarding her detention. She filed a Verified Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus challenging her detention as improper under 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a). The respondents did not oppose the petition. Judge Regina M. Rodriguez granted her habeas petition and ordered her immediate release within 24 hours, with release conditions limited to those specified in 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(3), and enjoined respondents from re-detaining her without written notice and a hearing where they must prove by clear and convincing evidence that re-detention is warranted.

Joel Anderson Sandoval Espinoza, a citizen of Peru, entered the United States on June 9, 2023, and has lived and worked in the country since then, employed in the A/C mechanics and warehouse industry while paying taxes and contributing to his community. He has two toddlers who are United States citizens. After presenting himself at a port of entry and expressing fear of returning to Peru, he passed a credible fear interview and was paroled into the country to pursue asylum, with his asylum application still pending in ongoing removal proceedings. On July 1, 2026, DHS detained him after he left his local DMV office, and he argued his parole and liberty had been unlawfully revoked without notice or justification. He was held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility and filed a habeas petition seeking immediate release or, alternatively, a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). The court found he was improperly subject to mandatory detention under § 1225(b)(2), citing prior rulings and a Tenth Circuit decision limiting that provision's application to noncitizens detained at the border. The court granted the habeas petition, ordered his immediate release without conditions such as GPS monitoring, enjoined his re-arrest absent a clear-and-convincing-evidence bond hearing, and denied his TRO/preliminary injunction motion as moot.

Rigoberto Santillan-Quiroz, a long-term U.S. resident married to a legal permanent resident and stepfather to a U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE following a traffic stop in late 2025. He was held for eight months without a bond hearing under a Trump administration policy that categorically denied bond hearings to noncitizens who entered without authorization. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled the detention policy unlawful, finding it violated due process rights by denying individualized review. The court ordered Santillan-Quiroz's release and reinstatement of bond hearing eligibility, reversing a district court decision and reaffirming that noncitizens have had bond hearing rights for nearly 30 years.

Alice Guillen Acosta, a Venezuelan national who presented at the El Paso port of entry on March 19, 2024, was released on her own recognizance and enrolled in an Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP). She complied fully with all terms including GPS monitoring and court appearances. On June 29, 2026, she was arrested without warning during a routine ICE check-in appointment and remained detained. The court granted her habeas corpus petition and ordered ICE to provide a bond hearing by July 31, 2026, requiring the government to prove by clear and convincing evidence that detention was justified.

Adams County health officials confirmed one case of active tuberculosis at the Aurora ICE detention facility run by the GEO Group in June 2026. Health officials said the facility failed to provide legally required access to medical records, housing information, and other documents needed to complete the public health investigation and determine if additional cases existed. ICE later stated the person had been treated and removed from the country. The Guardian reported that at least a dozen people inside the facility had contracted tuberculosis and dozens more had been placed in quarantine, though health officials said they had not yet verified those additional reports.

Luis Parada Ramos, a noncitizen, is detained at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. He filed a verified petition for writ of habeas corpus seeking immediate release or a bond hearing where the government must justify continued detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). The court ordered respondents to respond within seven days and issued an order preventing removal from Colorado or the United States pending resolution of the case.

A mother was detained by ICE while dropping her sister off at school. She was followed by unmarked government vehicles, cornered, and taken into custody. An ICE agent later returned her keys without explanation. The detention left her 20-year-old son responsible for caring for his two younger siblings and caused significant emotional distress to the family. The funds are being raised to help the mother get situated in Mexico and support the children's transition.

C.M., a noncitizen, was detained at the Aurora Contract Detention Facility and received a removal order on March 11, 2026. The immigration judge ordered deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture. C.M. sought immediate release via habeas corpus petition and Rehabilitation Act claim, arguing she needed release to meaningfully participate in immigration proceedings. The district court denied her petition, finding her removal order became final on April 11, 2026, placing her within the permissible 90-day removal period, and that immediate release is not a proper remedy under the Rehabilitation Act.

J.R., a 35-year-old Colombian with valid work authorization and an ankle monitor through ICE's Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, attended what he believed was a routine monitor maintenance appointment. ICE officers detained him instead, confiscating his ID and work permit. He was held overnight at the Aurora detention center despite having a pending appeal of his asylum case and was released the following day with assistance from Casa de Paz.

Jose was detained by ICE on May 21, 2026 without a warrant while taking his 3-year-old daughter to school and transported to Aurora ICE detention facility. He had a pending immigration case since 2024 to adjust his immigration status and was awaiting USCIS office response at the time of detention. His family is facing emotional and financial hardship as a result.

Wardy Alfonso Liberato, a noncitizen, is currently detained at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. He filed a habeas corpus petition seeking immediate release from custody along with a motion for temporary restraining order. The court ordered that respondents cannot remove Liberato from Colorado or the United States until the court or appeals court vacates the order.

Juan Benitez-Ortega was deported two weeks before his arraignment in Colorado on charges that he strangled his girlfriend. He was charged with second-degree assault but the case has been abandoned.

William Ortiz-Rivera, a man in his 70s with dementia, was released from the Aurora ICE Processing Center before 8 a.m. on May 11 without notifying his attorney or Casa de Paz, a local immigration advocacy organization that regularly assists people released from the facility. He boarded a bus and ended up in downtown Denver, miles from his senior living home, where he was lost for five hours in 83-degree weather with minimal money and possessions. Casa de Paz demands ICE coordinate releases with support organizations and release detainees during appropriate daytime hours, stating the facility has previously notified them of vulnerable individuals being released.

Hector Beltran Simental, a 44-year-old Mexican citizen who entered the U.S. on an H2B work visa in 2004 and had lived in Colorado for over 20 years, was detained by ICE on May 5, 2026, following a petty offense arrest. Despite demonstrating strong ties to the community through business ownership, tax compliance, and custody of a U.S. citizen daughter, an Immigration Judge denied his bond on June 3, 2026. The federal court granted his habeas corpus petition, finding he was improperly detained under § 1225(b) and ordered a bond hearing by July 7, 2026, where the government must prove by clear and convincing evidence that he poses a flight risk or danger to the community.

Cecilia, a 29-year-old pregnant Venezuelan asylum seeker, voluntarily surrendered to ICE with her three sons (ages 6, 9, and 12) on May 5, 2026, at the Centennial field office in Colorado. The family had walked to the U.S. in 2024 seeking stability, but lost their apartment and income after Cecilia's husband Ronald was arrested at an ICE appointment in November 2025. Facing homelessness and unable to support her children as her pregnancy became visible, Cecilia chose assisted voluntary departure. The family arrived in Caracas, Venezuela on May 13, 2026.

Diana Marquez Ruiz initially planned to self-deport with her two children on May 4, 2026, after her husband was removed from Aurora detention center. However, on the drive to the ICE field office, she became emotional and decided to turn back, unable to abandon her family dog in the United States. She and Cecilia had lived together and supported each other after their husbands' arrests.

Reyna Isabel Funez Veliz, a noncitizen, is detained at ICE's Denver Contract Detention Facility despite an immigration judge ordering his release on an $8,000 bond. ICE invoked an automatic stay regulation to prevent his release while appealing the bond determination. The immigration judge later reconsidered and held that the petitioner's detention is mandatory under federal law.

Josseph Steeven Quimi-Arellano, a noncitizen who entered the U.S. in 2024 and was released on his own recognizance, was abruptly re-detained by ICE in May 2026 without notice or opportunity to be heard. Respondents claimed he was subject to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b). The court granted his habeas petition, finding that § 1226(a)—not § 1225(b)—applied to him because he had already entered the interior of the country. The court ordered his immediate release by July 4, 2026, and enjoined re-detention absent clear and convincing evidence at a pre-deprivation hearing.

Dorel Patricio Tequida Valencia, a noncitizen, is currently detained at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Denver Contract Detention Facility in Colorado. He filed a habeas corpus petition seeking immediate release from custody or a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). The court ordered that respondents cannot remove Valencia from Colorado or the United States until the court or appeals court vacates the order, and gave respondents seven days to respond to the petition.

J.R.V., a 40-year-old with valid work authorization, was arrested by a sheriff's deputy in Florida in December while driving to a construction job. He was transferred through multiple detention facilities over five months, including the controversial Alligator Alcatraz in Florida, and eventually held at ICE's Aurora detention center operated by GEO Group. After 127 days in detention, he was released with only the clothes on his back and no identification documents. He filed a successful habeas corpus petition in federal court to challenge his detention and was released on April 29, 2026.

Hayam El Gamal and her five children, Egyptian citizens who entered the U.S. on B-1 visitor visas in 2022, were detained at Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas in June 2025 after overstaying their visas. The family was detained based on the alleged criminal actions of their estranged father, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who was later convicted of 101 charges including murder, though the family members were never charged with any crimes and stated they were estranged from Soliman and unaware of his plans. During nine months in detention, the family endured moldy and wormy food, inadequate medical care including failure to treat a 5-year-old's severe dental cavities, and religious freedom violations. Her 16-year-old son described the experience as "a nightmare" that made it difficult to return to normal life, writing that "nothing is normal anymore because you live in fear of going back to that place." An immigration judge granted the family bond in September 2025, but DHS appealed and obtained a stay. On April 24, 2026, a federal judge ordered their release; two days later, ICE re-arrested the family during a routine check-in at an ICE office in Denver and transported them to Denver International Airport for immediate deportation in violation of the federal court order. During transport and on a private jet, the family was subjected to verbal abuse, medical neglect, and physical restraint despite a medical emergency. Federal judges issued emergency orders blocking the removal and turning the plane around mid-air. The family was released on April 27 pending litigation on their asylum case, with electronic monitoring required as a condition of release.

Javier, a 76-year-old Cuban man with dementia, has been detained by ICE and is being held at a GEO facility in Aurora, Colorado. His next court appearance is scheduled for mid-May, and advocates are raising funds to cover an estimated $11,000 in legal fees for his immigration case.

An immigration attorney reports that approximately 80% of his clients granted bond by a judge are held for days beyond their legal release date by ICE. The case of Deonicio Castillo, a Colorado resident detained in January 2026, exemplifies the pattern—he was held six days after a judge granted his $2,500 bond. The attorney argues the delays violate constitutional rights and represent a departure from prior practice where bond releases typically occurred within hours.

Josue Garcia-Hernandez was detained by ICE at the Aurora ICE Processing Center after living in the United States for 25 years. He has five siblings and one daughter who are U.S. citizens and worked as the primary breadwinner for his family in construction. The court granted his habeas corpus petition and ordered his immediate release, finding he was improperly subjected to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2).

The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado granted a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the case of Luis Alfredo Chavelas Rosas, a Mexican citizen detained by ICE on July 16, 2025, in Aurora, Colorado. The court ruled that the detainee was improperly detained under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2)(A) without a bond hearing and determined that the default rule under § 1226(a) applies, requiring the government to provide a bond hearing. The court concluded that § 1225(b)(2)(A) does not authorize detention for noncitizens who have been present in the country for years and are not actively seeking admission.

Abdoul Sao, an asylum seeker who entered the United States in 2023, was initially detained by ICE but released on his own recognizance under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). He obtained employment and had no criminal history. In March 2026, ICE re-detained him at an ICE check-in appointment without notice or opportunity to be heard, claiming he was subject to mandatory detention under § 1225(b). The court granted his habeas corpus petition, finding that § 1226(a) applied and that the re-detention violated both the INA and his Fifth Amendment due process rights. The court ordered his immediate release by July 25, 2026.

On January 23, 2026, ICE agents conducted traffic stops in Eagle County, Colorado, detaining nine people. After the vehicles were abandoned, family members retrieved them and discovered ace of spades cards printed with ICE Denver Field Office contact information left inside at least two vehicles. Immigrant rights groups, including Voices Unidas, characterized the cards as referencing a Vietnam War-era racist practice. Federal officials offered an alternative explanation that the cards may reference the ace of spades as the trump card in the card game Spades. The Department of Homeland Security announced an investigation into the ICE agents' conduct.

Pablo Mercado Benhunea, who has lived in the United States for eighteen years, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 20, 2026. ICE charged him with entering the United States without inspection. He is currently detained at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. On April 2, 2026, Mercado Benhunea filed a Verified Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, requesting a bond hearing. The central dispute was whether his detention should be governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) (which provides for bond hearings) or § 1225(b)(2)(A) (which permits mandatory detention). On April 17, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado granted his habeas petition, finding that § 1226 applies to his case based on precedent from multiple similar cases. The court ordered respondents to provide Mercado Benhunea with a bond hearing under § 1226(a) within seven days, with the government bearing the burden of proving that his continued detention is justified.

ICE detained a person at a trailer park in Mancos on Friday morning, which prompted a protest at the ICE field office in Durango's Bodo Industrial Park. About a dozen protesters attempted to block federal officers from leaving the facility with the detainee. Federal agents pepper sprayed the protesters and deployed Tasers to clear the entrance. Durango Police Chief Brice Current said he contacted both protesters and ICE requesting the former not break the law and the latter to de-escalate, noting this was the first physical confrontation since October when agents used pepper spray and rubber bullets on over 200 protesters.

About a dozen protesters attempted to block federal ICE agents from leaving with a detainee outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Durango on Friday. Protesters linked arms and sat in front of the ICE office driveway to prevent vehicles from departing. Federal agents responded by removing protesters and using pepper spray against them.

Pedro Gutierrez, 43, a Durango resident for 22 years, was arrested by ICE agents on New Year's Eve while driving home from the gym. He was pulled over blocks from his home near Needham Elementary School by agents who called him by name and forcibly removed him from his vehicle in front of his 16-year-old daughter Jazmin. He was taken into custody at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora. Gutierrez has no criminal record and has worked in Durango as a dishwasher, baker, and painter; he is married with two adult children and serves as music director at a local church.

Marcos Flores, bassist for local band Summer of Peril, was detained by ICE on December 23 while attempting to pick up a visitor's badge at Colorado Springs Air Force Academy. Flores, who was brought to the U.S. as a young child from Mexico, has been held at Aurora ICE Detention Center with his bond request denied despite community support and legal efforts. His case was affected by a federal policy memo reversing protections against no-bond detentions.

Reny Jesus Riera Paez, a Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. through CBP One and received humanitarian parole in November 2024, was arrested by ICE in December 2025. DHS terminated his parole via email in April 2025 while he was living in Denver, working lawfully, and complying with parole conditions. The court granted a temporary restraining order preventing his removal, finding he is likely a member of a class whose parole terminations were ruled unlawful in a Massachusetts federal court case.

José Barco, a 39-40-year-old decorated Iraq War veteran who received a Purple Heart after suffering traumatic brain injury in combat, was deported in November 2025 despite serving in the U.S. Army since age 4. After his release from prison in January 2025—following 15 years served for a 2008 shooting conviction—ICE detained him immediately. His 2006 citizenship application while stationed at Fort Carson was lost in the system. Venezuela initially ordered him deported there but refused to accept him at the Honduras border, citing documentation concerns. He was eventually deported to Mexico in November 2025, a country he had never visited, where he is now seeking asylum.

Ronald was arrested in November 2025 during what he believed was a routine appointment at the Centennial ICE field office. He had previously been arrested and released in spring 2024. His arrest and subsequent detention left his wife Cecilia as the sole breadwinner for three children, contributing to the family's financial collapse and eventual decision to self-deport.

Ronald, a Venezuelan immigrant, was arrested at what he believed was a routine appointment at the Centennial ICE field office in November 2025, two days before Thanksgiving. His arrest left his wife Cecilia pregnant and his three sons without a primary breadwinner, contributing to the family's financial collapse and eventual self-deportation decision.

Fernando Jaramillo Solano, a 45-year-old Colombian national seeking asylum, and his two children, Jana Michel Jaramillo Patiño (12) and Kewin Daniel Patiño Bustamante (15), were detained by ICE agents on October 27, 2025, while being driven to school near a mobile home park in Durango, Colorado. The family had lived in Colorado for over 18 months, possessed valid documentation showing an active asylum process since December 2024, a work permit request, and no criminal record. ICE officials stated during federal court proceedings that Jaramillo Solano was not their intended target. Hundreds of protesters gathered at the ICE field office in Durango on October 28 to demand their release. During the demonstration, ICE agents in tactical gear pepper-sprayed and fired rubber bullets at peaceful protesters. Protester Franci Stagi, 57, was knocked to the ground and subjected to a chokehold by an unidentified officer, and protester Drew Collie, 22, was sprayed at close range and struck twice with rubber bullets, sustaining bruises. Local Durango police attempted to intervene to secure the children's release and conduct a welfare check but were denied entry by federal agents. The father was transferred to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas, while the children were held at an ICE facility in southern Texas. Immigration officials later granted the family voluntary departure and stated ICE would facilitate their return to Colombia. The City of Durango requested assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation regarding agent conduct, which formally declined.

Protesters gathered at the Durango ICE Facility after agents detained a father and two children (ages 12 and 15) following a traffic stop. The family possesses valid documentation and an active legal asylum process. During the demonstration, a federal agent allegedly pushed a protester. The City of Durango requested investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which declined the request.

An unidentified law enforcement officer placed a 57-year-old woman named Franci Stagi in a chokehold and threw her down a grassy embankment during a protest outside an ICE field office in Durango, Colorado on October 28. The incident was recorded on video. Hundreds of protesters had gathered at the location. The officer wore a black balaclava and tactical vest labeled with 'Police' or 'Police HSI' and was not identified as part of any specific law enforcement agency.