Congressman Neguse Condemns Racist “Death Cards” Found in Eagle County, Demands Independent Investigation into ICE Activities
Lafayette, CO — Yesterday, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse joined Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, as well as the Democratic members of Colorado’s House delegation in condemning alarming reports that families in Eagle County, Colorado, found “death cards” left in the cars of family members taken by ICE agents. These specific cards had the address and phone number of the Aurora ICE detention facility printed on them. The lawmakers called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General to open an investigation and requested a full DHS briefing on the incidents and steps taken to prevent further intimidation of Latino communities.
“As the son of immigrants and the father of two young children, I am horrified by the abuses being committed by the Trump administration — from the streets of Minneapolis to right here in Eagle County. These outrageous, aggressive intimidation tactics are meant to stoke fear among our neighbors, and it is immoral and wrong. This administration must be held accountable, and we cannot allow this to continue unchecked,” said Congressman Joe Neguse.
Congressman Neguse has expressed extreme outrage regarding the Trump administration’s cruel and violent immigration policies. He joined Colorado’s democratic delegation in demanding an investigation into the murder of Alex Pretti, calling the shooting of the 37-year-old Minnesotan by an ICE agent, and the prior shooting of Renee Good, “horrific” and “abhorrent.”
Neguse also sued the Trump administration for blocking Members of Congress from unannounced oversight visits to federal immigration detention facilities. Yesterday, a federal court granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) in the case — Neguse et al. v. ICE et al. — reaffirming Congress’s constitutional authority to investigate detention conditions and ensure accountability.
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Noem,
We are writing regarding disturbing reports about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in Eagle County, Colorado. Reportedly, ICE agents in unmarked vehicles with attached sirens conducted imitation traffic stops and ultimately detained ten Latino individuals who are now being held at the Aurora Detention Facility. Additionally, according to multiple news reports and local community organizations, family members of the detained individuals found ace of spades cards inside multiple abandoned vehicles, printed with the address of the Aurora Detention Facility:
We are deeply concerned by the allegations that the federal agents were utilizing sirens to falsely act as local law enforcement. This behavior leads individuals to believe they are lawfully required to pull over for a traffic violation when in reality, the federal government has no authority over local or state traffic regulations. Federal agents acting in disguise as local law enforcement is misconduct and should be treated as such.
Moreover, the ace of spades card has long been known as the “death card” and has been used by white supremacist groups to inspire fear and threaten physical violence. It is unacceptable and dangerous for federal law enforcement to use this symbol to intimidate Latino communities. This behavior undermines public trust in law enforcement, raises serious civil rights concerns, and falls far short of the professional standards expected of federal agents.
We appreciate that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) condemned this conduct and directed the DHS Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate the incident. To ensure that ICE conducts operations in a professional manner that does not include racially-motivated intimidation tactics that undermine public trust in law enforcement, we request:
A formal and detailed briefing on ICE activities in Eagle County
A written report detailing the findings of the ongoing DHS investigation into the incident
An independent investigation by the DHS Office of Inspector General into the activities of the Denver Field Office, which oversees ICE activity in Eagle County
Written confirmation of any disciplinary or corrective actions taken
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We respectfully request a response by February 13.
Sincerely,
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