Concerns grow over reports of likely collaboration between local governments and ICE

Voces Unidas is following reported cases of law enforcement collaborating with ICE in possible violation of the law.

In one of the most recent cases, we received a call on Friday at 2:40 p.m. in which family members reported to us that the county jail in Glenwood Springs had informed the bondsman that their family member was going to be “turned over” to ICE because of an “ICE hold.”

At least two family members claimed that the jail staff let them know that ICE had their family member, despite a scheduled court hearing for 3 p.m.

During the virtual court hearing at 3 p.m. in which the individual was going to have an initial appearance, the prosecutor in the case advised the court that the translator was no longer necessary as the defendant had “just bonded, so he’s gone.”

When Voces Unidas called the jail, a Garfield County Sheriff’s Deputy in booking said the defendant was released at 2:10 p.m.

When asked if the defendant had been able to leave on his own or if someone picked him up, the deputy clarified that after posting bond, as he was getting prepared for release, immigration agents in the jail’s sallyport, detained him.

“They were in the sallyport. When he was getting ready to be released they talked to him and informed him of what was going on and they took him in,” the deputy said.

The sallyport in a jail is an enclosed section of the jail for secured exits and entrances by deputies transporting people who are under custody. 

Allowing ICE to detain inmates in the sallyport feels more like coordination versus a chance encounter.

We urge state officials to look further into this and other cases of local agencies collaborating with ICE and ask that the state laws prohibiting such collaboration are enforced.

If you know of other possible violations of the law which prohibits collaboration with ICE, call us at 970-340-8586.