Strongly armed federal agents made a series of raids in Apartment buildings In the metropolitan area of Denver and Aurora This Wednesday, February 5 in the morning, as part of a mass deportation operation aimed at alleged members of the criminal organization Aragua trainas reported by the Department of National Security and officials of Immigration and Customs Control (ICE).
At least Two dozen agentssome with high caliber weapons and backed by armored vehicles, several residential complexes raided before dawn, according to witnesses cited by NBC News and The Denver Post. ICE has not specified how many people were arrested in the operation, which also included the participation of the FBI, the Drug Control Administration (DEA) and the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The operations took by surprise the inhabitants of the residential complexes, who reported that agents played doors insistently while identifying people with alleged irregular immigration status.
In a building Denvera 31 -year -old Venezuelan migrant, who preferred to maintain his anonymity for fear of being deported, described how the officers hit the doors and patrolled the parking lot in vehicles without identification. “We hid with fear,” man said NBC News. “Many did not open their doors and were silent.” According to some witnesses, at least Eight people They were arrested in the place.
In Auroraa Colombian immigrant who left his apartment to take his daughter to school hurriedly returned to see the presence of the agents. “They called the doors one by one, identifying as ‘immigration’ and asking us to come out,” he told the The Denver Post.
Other residents, such as Carlos Rodrígueza Venezuelan immigrant who previously lived in a complex where a video of alleged members of Aragua trainexpressed their fear of staying in the United States. “I want to return to Venezuela. I no longer feel safe when I went out, ”he said.
For his part, a 37 -year -old Venezuelan asked for anonymity said he fears being deported despite having a pending asylum case. “We don’t know if, even having papers, they will take us,” he told us NBC News.
He Mayor of Denver, Mike JohnstonHe said that local authorities did not participate in the operation and that the city was not notified in advance. “We have confirmed that there was no activity in schools, hospitals or churches,” he said in a statement.
The raids generated a strong reaction by defenders of the rights of immigrants and state Democratic legislators. The Coalition for the Rights of Colorado immigrantswhich sent legal observers to the area, denounced the lack of search or arrest orders by ICE. “There is talk of alleged affiliation to gangs, but we have not seen criminal charges,” he said Raquel Lane-Alarlanospokesman for the organization.
In it State Senate of Coloradoseveral legislators expressed their rejection of the operation. Mike WeissmanAurora Democrat Senator said that seeing images of armored vehicles and agents on the city’s roofs “is not the way the United States should act.”
For its part, Gabe EvansRepublican congressman for District 8 of Colorado, supported ICE’s actions and asked the governor Jared Polis Modify state laws that limit the cooperation of the local police with the immigration authorities.
The raids were carried out near schools, which altered the transport of some students. According to the Denver school district, at least Five school buses they had to modify their routes due to the presence of agents in Cedar Run Apartments.
So far, ICE has not confirmed how many alleged members of Aragua train They were arrested or revealed the destiny of those arrested. Uncertainty has left many migrants in a state of alarm, fearing future raids even if they have asylum requests.
Local organizations have activated emergency lines and legal services to advise people affected by operations, while immigrants’ lawyers and defenders seek answers about the scope of arrests and the future of migrants in federal custody.
