DURANGO, Colo. (KREX) – A peaceful protest in Durango escalated on Tuesday regarding the recent detainment of a family by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Federal agents pepper-sprayed demonstrators as they linked arms to block the outside of the ICE facility in Durango, as federal agents left the facility with the detained family.
The protest stemmed from the arrest of two children, ages 12 and 15, and their father, who were detained on their way to the children’s school. The city of Durango said that initially, ICE agents told the Durango Police Department that agents had attempted to release the children to another parent, but were unsuccessful.
Durango officers offered to help return the children to their mother, “but were informed that was no longer an option,” according to the city.
According to the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, ICE detained the asylum-seeking family from Colombia on Monday. CIRC stated this happened despite the family having strong ties to the Durango community over the past 18 months and having a fully documented, pending asylum case.
ICE reportedly transferred the two children to an undisclosed location, separating them from their father. The family has no criminal record and has been compliant with ICE reporting requirements, according to the center.
“ICE has forcibly separated a family, and now the community does not know where the children are,” Enrique Orozco-Perez, co-executive director of Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center, said in a news release. “This is a deliberate and cruel tactic to instill fear in our communities. We demand to know where these children have been taken and call for their immediate reunification with their family.”
The city said officers have continued to request an opportunity to return the children to their mother, but were unsuccessful. The city said officers were told Tuesday that one of the children “may be in distress and potentially experiencing abuse.” Officers went to conduct a welfare check and were denied entry to the facility by federal agents.
“In moments like these, our duty is not only to uphold the law, but to preserve our humanity,” said Police Chief Brice Current in the city’s release. “While we have a sworn responsibility not to interfere with federal operations, our department advocated for the children’s well-being. These situations are complex and often misunderstood. I want to be clear: the Durango Police Department operates independently and remains fully committed to protecting every member of our community with compassion and professionalism.”
The department is planning to partner with local schools and other entities to try and facilitate the safe and immediate transfer of children in comparable situations.
Regarding the protest, Colorado State Patrol said in a statement Tuesday that it was requested by local law enforcement to respond to the ICE field office to ensure public safety, and it did not participate in immigration enforcement. CSP helped in de-escalation and protection of all involved to maintain peace and address any unlawful behavior, according to the statement.
“Members of the Colorado State Patrol did not use any weapons or chemical munitions,” CSP stated.
The city of Durango said that police were dispatched to “help ensure emergency vehicles could safely access and exit Durango Fire Station No. 1, located across the street from the ICE facility.” The city said protesters were double-parked on both sides of the road in the area.
The city said that on Tuesday at 6 a.m., a video was taken at the event that “showed an elderly woman being shoved to the ground by a federal agent.” The city said it is requesting help from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to investigate an incident involving a federal agent pushing a woman at the protest. The FBI is also looking into the incident, the city said.
According to CIRC, witnesses said ICE agents acted with “unprovoked aggression.”
“Despite our members remaining entirely peaceful, an ICE agent violently punched one of our community members in the face,” a spokesperson from the Southwest Colorado Rapid Response Network said in a news release. “This excessive force against peaceful protestors is unacceptable and underscores the brutal tactics ICE is willing to employ.”
The city said the protest ended at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday, but that the event turned violent when federal agents left the facility with the detained family. Durango Mayor Gilda Yazzie visited the protest site and expressed relief that no serious injuries were reported.
“I’m proud of the professionalism shown by our officers during such a tense and emotional situation,” said Yazzie. “We support every individual’s right to peacefully protest and assemble. This is a deeply challenging moment for our community.”
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
