Aurora, CO. IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aurora PD & ICE Conduct Middle-of-Night Raid & Mass Detainment of Edge of Lowry Migrants Without Evidence of Crime

December 18, 2024

Yesterday was just the latest example of how anti-migrant rhetoric on the national scale results in outright denial of human rights, fracturing entire communities and leaving them more vulnerable than ever to unjust persecution.

Police statements suggest that this ordeal began after a 911 call was made by two people who claim to have been kidnapped and held hostage. One of them had a nonlethal stab wound. On December 17th, at around 3a.m. in the dark of night, Aurora Police Department (APD) arrested at least 15 individuals from 2 buildings. They banged on doors and windows, police pointing their guns at the heads of unsuspecting individuals suddenly woken from sleep. They barked orders for individuals to come outside and sit in the biting cold as they tightened metal handcuffs around their wrists.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were also on the scene.

Firsthand accounts from those detained reveal that they were never read their Miranda rights, nor were the vast majority of them ever told what crimes they were being charged with. Instead, they were pushed into police vehicles and left there for as long as 8 hours, not being allowed to go to the bathroom, let alone drink water or eat. They were then whisked around the block to where unmarked civilian-appearing vehicles were waiting, marched out of the cop trucks, and re-handcuffed by ICE agents to be taken to an undisclosed location, where they were intensely interrogated about their immigration status. Though the majority of those ended up not being charged and were released, those at earlier stages of their immigration process are still currently detained, presumably under ICE, though information of their whereabouts has not been released to loved ones.

Law enforcement agencies, including SWAT, had continued presence for more than 24 hours after the initial raid. Throughout the day, more were detained in this traumatizing manner – at least five that advocates noted – while others who were not detained were still not allowed to leave their building, despite cops stating otherwise. Many could not even leave for their jobs or federal documentation appointments. Mothers called advocates from inside the building, terrified to leave, and fearing for themselves and their children.

People are traumatized and unsure what will happen next. Right now, the vast majority wants to leave for safer, dignified housing in the hopes that it will release the targets that have been on their backs ever since their abusive and neglectful landlord and management had concocted the gang narrative that has taken the nation by a storm.

What this means in a greater context:

The only reason someone would be in immigration detention is that they are not a citizen, and because detention is a multi-billion dollar, for-profit industry. ICE interrupts our criminal legal system, shares no information with our local law enforcement, and uses propaganda to cause fear and uncertainty in the community. They pursue the separation of our loved ones at any cost, regardless of people’s longstanding contributions to our communities. 

It’s unconscionable that law enforcement continues to harass and treat tenants so poorly. Working people with families are, and have been, advocating for a dignified place to live in exchange for the rent they pay. Aurora’s strategy has proven to be to deflect, harass, intimidate, and ignore residents instead of creating affordable housing for all. 

What is happening now in Aurora follows the same harmful strategies we’ve seen under the mass deportations of Bush and Obama presidencies. ICE’s mass deportations and detentions are primarily focused, right now, on people who’ve arrived over the last three years, but this is a precursor to what we will see in other communities across the United States – IF we allow this to continue. We know, because we’ve seen it before in the 1930s, the 50s, the 70s, the early 2000s, and from 2006 to 2012. This will affect you – it is just a matter of time. 

Law enforcement in Aurora has a long history of ignoring calls from people living in this area. When they do respond, they engage in mass arrests and raids instead of careful investigation, choosing to sort out the details – a.k.a. actual evidence – later. Instead of building trust by consistently responding to residents and neighbors with legitimate reports of criminal activity, they are sporadic, using inappropriate levels of force and intimidation. The department also has a long history of bias and violence in communities of color. This history is likely to be perpetuated given their choice for police chief this year, and his deeply troubling past – one that the community of Aurora has decried.

When the people they arrest are immigrants, ICE becomes involved – even though legislation is supposed to stop local jails from holding people for ICE. ICE then holds people in their for-profit detention facilities long after they are found innocent or the charges are dropped/dismissed. Just like any private prison, ICE is not interested in justice – only meeting their quotas. 

When law enforcement unnecessarily detains Venezuelans specifically, they are caught in limbo where they have no access to bond and they cannot elect to return to Venezuela or be deported there.  They have no way to earn money from detention to pay a lawyer in their asylum case – one of the most complex forms of immigration relief. 80% of people who are represented in asylum cases, win. The statistic is without an attorney is a sick mirror – 85% of people lose their case. 

What Edge of Lowry tenants need from us now:

Ultimately, the tenants have spoken up time and time again and asked for their landlords to be held accountable, and the City has ignored them and their rights as tenants. Instead, some particularly vocal City Council people have further worsened their position by spewing racist propaganda against migrants, causing them to lose jobs and fear for their safety in public. Now that this latest event has been sensationalized, they are at more risk than ever. The City must intervene to support their relocation and show that they will defend the rights of their renters, no matter where they come from. 

As part of this process – there absolutely needs to be:

1. Time for tenants to find, apply, and get approved for a different apartment
2. Funding for security deposit and first months rent
3. Collaboration with community organizations and partners to conduct outreach and make sure every tenant has somewhere safe and dignified to live
4. Enforcement of housing code that has impactful repercussions for landlords who violate their tenants’ rights – such as increased fines, jail time, and absolutely not returning buildings back to those who violate the law (as court statements have suggested is a possibility in the case of Edge of Lowry buildings being eventually returned to out-of-state, neglectful slumlord CBZ Management)

Community members must band together to defend the rights of the most vulnerable amongst us, to denounce the flagrant hate that keeps them in a state of severe disadvantage, and to ensure their rights to opportunity and a future for themselves and their families. Reach out to your local representatives to remind them that Aurora is a City made strong by it’s diversity, and that we won’t stand for blatant discrimination and violation of human rights.

Additionally, if you are bilingual in Spanish and English, we could use your support with rehousing tenants! We are seeking allies, advocates, and comrades to assist these tenants in visiting and applying to different properties. Several families are ready and waiting for support in filling out applications to move elsewhere. We will provide you with guidance, supporting materials, and financial assistance for the application fees. Please reach out ASAP to go through our orientation and be connected to a family and support their transition into safer housing!

Point of contact: V Reeves