🚨 Secret ICE facilities in Denver, revealed

🚨Secret ICE Facility Revealed in Denver

While Immigration and Customs Enforcement only officially lists one location in Colorado – the detention center in Aurora – Colorado Times Recorder and Data Deportation Project recently uncovered through data requests that Colorado has at least nine ICE detention facilities across the state, includingone “hold room” in Denver. Internal ICE documents show operations at one point took place in a stripmall in Montbello. They also include another facility of unclear operational purpose located at 777 Bannock Street, though that address has been occupied by Denver Health for over 100 years. Denver Health confirmed there is no detention facility at the address, and ICE declined to comment. [Colorado Times Recorder]

• How many people have been detained? Last year between January and October, 2,831 people were held in at least one of the nine facilities in Colorado. Their ages ranged from 1 to 91.
• Where are the facilities? The documents show ICE facilities in unexpected places – like a stripmall in Glenwood Springs and industrial parks around the state.
• How big are they? Many of these facilities are reportedly smaller, nondescript buildings that contain “hold rooms” for detainees.
• What is a “hold room”? ICE policy dictates that detainees may not be held in a hold room for more than 72 hours, and the rooms do not have “bunks, cots, or beds.” Policy also states that unaccompanied minors, women with children, or adults over 70 are meant to be held in the rooms, but detention records indicate that ICE seems to have violated each of these policies
• What are ICE officials saying about this? Colorado Times Recorder reached out to ICE with questions regarding the documents, and ICE has not responded.
• What next? Democrats from Colorado’s congressional delegation challenged ICE on their plans for expansion in the state, with multiple members signing a letter urging ICE to “immediately abandon” these plans.

🚦Crosswalks Hacked to Say “F— Trump”

Denverites were posting videos on social media over the weekend of two East Colfax crosswalk signals that were hacked to repeat the message, “The walk signal is on. Trump murders children. The walk signal is on, f— Trump.” [Denver Gazette]

🏎️ Denver’s Need for Speed

Denver could be a stop on the IndyCar race circuit as soon as next year, if local boosters get their way. Cars would be racing down a 1.8 mile street circuit around Empower Field at Mile High, and potentially generating $60-80 million in economic impact for the city. Promoters are currently pitching the event to sponsors who might help fund the $650,000 event. [DBJ]

🗳️ Is Denver Done With DeGette?

Colorado Congressional District 1 candidate Melat Kiros received nearly twice as many votes as incumbent Diana DeGette in a preference poll taken over the weekend at a Democratic Party county assembly. The win earned Kiros more delegates to send to the 1st Congressional District assembly on March 27, but does it mean the 15-term mainstay is vulnerable to a massive upset when the primary rolls around in June? [Colorado Politics]

• DeGette’s other Democratic challenger, CU Regent Wanda James, shared the results of an internal poll with City Cast Denver showing 66% of Denver voters would consider other candidates or vote for someone else.
• Does that mean DeGette is cooked? Or will her name recognition pull her through? We discuss this and more on today’s podcast [🎧City Cast Denver]