RMIAN Denounces ICE Raids
Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network condemns the ongoing ICE raids happening in Denver and Aurora. While ICE is claiming these raids are targeting individuals charged with crimes, we know that they are sweeping up immigrant community members indiscriminately. RMIAN staff were horrified to see the inhumane and violent approach in yesterday’s raids.
Shira Hereld, RMIAN Staff Attorney, said "Witnessing the aftermath of the raid was devastating - the amount of fear, confusion, and pain. I was invited into an apartment whose door had been blasted open by flash-bang grenades. Inside, a young girl who didn’t even reach my shoulder held her baby sister, crying. Their mom - their only parent - had been taken by ICE. I also saw dozens of people band together to oppose the raid, to check in on their neighbors, to find quick housing, and to inform people of their rights. These raids simultaneously expose the worst inhumanity of ICE and the most powerful humanity of our Colorado community."
Trump is directing resources to terrorize our community by promising to separate parents from their children and target people at home and at work. At the same time, this administration is stripping people of access to services that provide basic information to ensure due process is protected. We are at a crossroads where the executive branch is attempting to erode the power of the Constitution with every new executive order.
The recent efforts to take away legal service attorneys from immigration detention centers and immigration courts (the only attorneys most people in these circumstances will ever get to see and talk to) while simultaneously mandating increased enforcement, detention, and expanded use of expedited removal is unprecedented. The loss of these fundamental protections is an intentional miscarriage of justice and the utmost cruelty and inhumanity.
On Friday, January 31, 2025, RMIAN joined seven other nonprofit organizations and sued officials from the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, challenging the stop work order that would strip away a quarter of RMIAN’s funding and jeopardize essential legal services. Though the case filed is still pending, RMIAN received news this week that the stop work order was rescinded and programming can resume.
Monique Sherman, RMIAN Detention Program Managing Attorney, stated: “We are thrilled the stop work order has been rescinded and RMIAN's access to the ICE Aurora Detention Center continues. It is absolutely critical that detained individuals have access to vital legal information about their rights during complex, life-altering proceedings. The attempts to strip away legal services while increasing enforcement efforts is inhumane. RMIAN is committed to due process and fundamental fairness and will continue to fight this injustice at every turn.”
Despite rescinding the stop work order, the Trump administration has a long history of trying to attack these legal access programs that dates back to 2018. We fear this fight is not over—and that DOJ will continue to try other tactics to kill these programs. We all must continue fighting and advocating with our members of Congress to prevent further attacks on due process and legal access programs for immigrants.
RMIAN is poised to challenge other government actions that harm our community and the people we serve. RMIAN will continue to fight for justice and due process, remaining steadfast in its commitment to provide legal support to people caught in the cross hairs, to keep families together and make sure people have access to fundamental fairness.