In Colorado, immigrants and allies unite to keep families together

The call came into our 24-hour hotline on a Wednesday morning: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were conducting a raid at Denver's Cedar Run Apartments. The Colorado Rapid Response Network quickly mobilized volunteers to the scene. Using bullhorns, our team called out to residents, informing them of their rights: You do not have to open your doors! You do not have to say anything! 

This is just one example of how AFSC's Colorado Immigrant Rights Program, partners, and community members are protecting immigrant communities facing ICE raids across the U.S.  

Here in Colorado, we have a strong immigrant rights movement. Our movement is led by the people most impacted by these issues and includes congregations, community groups, and allies. AFSC is proud to have been a part of this movement for the past 70 years. 

The Trump administration’s policies have fueled fear among immigrants across the country. They have made people feel unsafe in their homes, at work, or in their own neighborhoods. But many of us are refusing to give in to that fear. Instead, immigrants and allies are doing all that we can to stop the detention and deportation of any of our community members.   

A community network in action 

At the heart of our work is the Colorado Rapid Response Network. The network operates a 24-hour hotline seven days a week where people can report suspected ICE activity. We rely entirely on volunteers who serve as dispatchers, confirmers, and legal observers. Since Trump took office, numerous community members have stepped up to help. Today, our network of volunteers is now 2,500-strong.  

AFSC staff train and onboard all of the dispatchers, who field calls all day long, sometimes up to 30 calls per hour. Volunteers are then sent to verify reports of ICE activity. If we can confirm the report, we notify the community through Facebook as quickly as possible. Our efforts also help filter out mistaken reports that might cause unnecessary panic in the community.   

When volunteers witness an ICE raid, they are ready to support community members. We let them know about their rights, as we did at the Cedar Run Apartments complex. If a person is detained by ICE, we connect them to legal representation. If their family needs other kinds of support, we get them that help. That could include basics like food and rental assistance as well as support for their loved one in detention and deportation defense. 

Volunteers also accompany immigrants to court proceedings. They provide them with transportation, ensure interpretation services are available, and help out family members. 

Strengthening community preparedness 

Across Colorado, we have helped hundreds of immigrants prepare for encounters with ICE. Most of these workshops are facilitated by members of AFSC’s Not1More Deportation Table, which is made up of immigrants and family members who have faced deportation. Our Know Your Rights workshops equip people with knowledge to protect themselves from ICE—whether they’re at home, work, in their cars, or in their communities.    

We also host workshops to help people create emergency family safety plans in case a loved one is detained or deported. Families consider everything from childcare arrangements to power of attorney documents. This can be an emotional and difficult process for participants. Having guidance from facilitators who have navigated these challenges themselves makes a crucial difference.  

Growing stronger together 

The threats to immigrants in Colorado and across the U.S. are daunting. But our broader community is responding with strength and resolve. We’ve seen a huge increase in volunteer engagement. More people are stepping up than we have seen in years. 

Local and state officials in Colorado are also taking bold action to protect immigrants. The state legislature has introduced a bill to make schools, health care centers, and churches off limits to ICE. And the Denver Public Schools system is seeking a temporary restraining order to keep ICE off its campuses. 

Each day, we collectively strengthen our network of immigrants and allies working together for justice. That morning at Cedar Run Apartments, amid an ICE raid, our volunteers' bullhorns carried a message of rights and resilience. We demonstrated once again that when people unite, we can protect and support one another. Together, we're building a Colorado that respects the dignity of all people. A place that welcomes everyone one as vital members of our community.