Jeanette Vizguerra, a Denver-area grandmother and prominent immigrant rights activist, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Vizguerra, who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, was taken into custody without warning and is being held at a suburban Denver ICE facility.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has condemned Vizguerra’s detention, calling it a “plain abuse of power” and likening it to “Soviet-style persecution of political dissidents under the guise of immigration enforcement” ¹. Johnston’s statement highlights the concerns of many who see Vizguerra’s detention as a politically motivated move rather than a genuine enforcement action.
Vizguerra’s case has drawn attention due to her high-profile activism and her decision to take sanctuary in churches with her children to avoid deportation to Mexico. Her detention has sparked outrage among her supporters, who argue that ICE is attempting to deport her without a valid deportation order.
The American Friends Service Community, an immigrant advocacy group, has alerted Vizguerra’s supporters to her detention and is working with her attorney to push for her release. The group has raised concerns about serious legal errors and lack of due process rights in Vizguerra’s case.
Vizguerra’s detention has also sparked a protest outside the ICE detention facility, with around 15 attendees showing their support for her. Her case has highlighted the human impact of immigration enforcement actions and the need for due process and fairness in these cases.
It’s worth noting that Vizguerra’s three children are American citizens, and her detention has raised concerns about the impact on her family and the community. Rev. Amanda Henderson, who met Vizguerra in 2017, described her as “the exact opposite of someone who is a danger to our community in any way, shape, or form” ¹. Henderson’s statement underscores the widespread support for Vizguerra and the concerns about her detention.
