Janet Vizguera, a Colorado advocate for immigrants who evacuated to church for several months in 2017, was taken into custody by officials on Monday, local supporters said.
Colorado Immigration Rights Union Requested Vizguerra's immediate release after immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) detained her at her workplace.
“Janet is a Pilar of the community and has supported countless families,” the organization said in a statement. “Ice had no reason to restrain her. This cruel and unnecessary behavior has caused irreparable harm to her family and community.”
The group said it was clear that Vizguerra was a target for criticism of deportation and her advocacy for the immigrant community.
“Ice's actions have raised serious due process concerns and her lawyers are working to correct the legal errors behind her detention,” the organization said.
During President Trump's first term, Vizuguera lived in a Colorado church for 86 days, so he took the sanctuary from immigration agents. Her removal stay was given by ice.
She moved to Colorado in 1997 after her husband was held at the muzzle in Mexico City. She has four children, one of which is a postponed action for the recipient of the Child's Arrival (DACA), and the other three are US citizens.
Vizguerra was featured on Time's 100 Most Influential People Listed in 2017, she said she would continue her activist work.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston Detected Vizguerra's detention On Tuesday, he condemns it as “Putin-style persecution.”
“This is not immigration enforcement. It is Soviet-style political persecution of political opponents who pretend to be immigration enforcement,” he said. “This isn't someone with a criminal history. This is the mother of an American citizen who worked for Target and started a community nonprofit organization.”
“This doesn't make our community safer,” Johnston said, pointing to the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration crime. “In my opinion, it makes our community lawless.”
said Jardon Garcia, a friend of Vizguerra's family. Washington Post That vizguerra contacts her children and is “alright.” She knew she was a target for the new Trump administration and kept her legal process relatively unremarkable in recent years, Garcia said.
Colorado Governor Jared Police (D) Called by the Trump administration To demonstrate transparency, Vizguerra's detention notes that she has no history of violence and is not a threat to the community.
He said the state has not received notice of Vizguerra's arrest and hopes ICE will focus on detention of violent offenders. He noted that various arrests have affected taxpayer dollars and that Vizguera deserves a legitimate process.
The hill reached out to the White House and Denverfield offices.
