A child holds a sign shaped like a butterfly that says, “Here to stay,” at a rally organized by the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition on March 11, 2023, at the Colorado Capitol. (Robert Davis for Colorado Newsline)
Various advocacy organizations are offering resources to help immigrant families in Colorado as fears of mass deportations grow under the new Trump administration.
President Donald Trump was sworn into office for his second term Monday, promising during his inaugural speech to deport undocumented people “at a level nobody has ever seen before.” His first hours in office included a host of executive actions aimed at restricting border crossings, shutting down asylum applications, ousting the leadership of the federal immigration court system and more. Officials in the new administration outlined plans for an aggressive immigration crackdown in the days, weeks and months to come.
While on the campaign trail in October, Trump came to Aurora and repeated sensational falsehoods that the city had been “invaded and conquered” by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, or TdA. He pledged that if reelected he would use law enforcement to “hunt down, arrest and deport” undocumented immigrants connected to gangs, calling the plan Operation Aurora.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
Keilly Leon, north regional organizer with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, is a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient who has lived in Colorado since she was 8 months old.
“I’ve seen firsthand how our community has risen above anti-immigrant rhetoric to build a state that values and protects its immigrant families,” Leon said in a statement. “The policies we’ve fought for — like access to driver’s licenses, in-state tuition, and protections against police collaboration with ICE — are a testament to the power of resilience and collective action. Now, more than ever, we must carry that legacy forward to ensure every immigrant in Colorado feels safe, valued, and at home.”
Colorado has several laws that provide additional protections for immigrants. Under a 2023 law, local law enforcement cannot enter contracts with federal agencies like ICE or private entities that operate detention centers to detain people for civil immigration violations . A 2019 law prohibits local law enforcement from arresting or detaining someone based solely on their immigration status or an ICE request. It’s also illegal, under a 2021 law, to threaten to report someone based on their immigration status to coerce them to perform an act or refrain from performing a lawful act.
Under a 2020 Colorado law, civil arrests cannot be made in or around courthouses or if someone is on their way to or from court. Probation officers as well as state agencies in Colorado are prohibited from sharing information with ICE without a warrant. If an immigrant is in jail, they must be informed of their right to refuse an interview with ICE.
Know your rights
Colorado’s Office of New Americans, established in 2021, acts as a central point of contact for immigrant services. Undocumented immigrants can obtain a driver’s license or identification card in Colorado.
CIRC offers a series of “Know Your Rights” trainings for community members around the state and has recorded videos of prior trainings, which are available on its website.
The National Immigration Law Center advises immigrants to print out a “Know Your Rights” card they can use to communicate to an immigration official if they want to exercise their constitutional rights. CIRC highlighted rights anyone in the country has under the U.S. Constitution regardless of their legal status, including the 4th Amendment protections against unlawful searches, the 5th Amendment right to remain silent, and the 6th Amendment right to seek legal advice and a trial.
A resource guide from the National Partnership for New Americans offers additional information on rights to be aware of in various languages, as well as family preparedness guides to help with child care, power of attorney, housing and finances in case of an emergency.
The nonprofit Village Exchange Center supports refugees and immigrants in Aurora. It serves about 3,000 people a week, about 80% of whom are from Venezuela. The organization is hosting a free legal clinic from 5-7 p.m., Feb. 13 to help immigrants interested in determining legal guardianship for their children and power of attorney for their assets. Interested attendees must fill out a registration form.
211 Colorado has a map of various immigration resources around the state, including clothing, food and housing resources as well as legal clinics.
The Colorado Rapid Response Network has a hotline anyone can reach out to at 844-864-8341 for support or to report ICE activity in their area.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.