Former lawmaker, advocates condemn immigration raid in Colorado Springs
“This is about fear, not justice,” said the COS People’s Coalition, which organized the “Rally Against Raids” event. The group demanded transparency from police.
Author: Melissa Reeves (9NEWS), Janelle Finch
Published: 10:11 PM MDT April 29, 2025
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Advocacy groups rallied outside of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to denounce a recent multi-agency raid that led to over 100 people being detained at what the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) called, an “illegal nightclub.”
Members of Colorado Springs People’s Coalition, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition and other social justice advocates demanded transparency from the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office regarding their involvement in the raid and working with immigration officials.
Immigrants in El Paso County are not alone,” said the People’s Coalition in a press release. “We demand full transparency from local law enforcement on their role in the raid.”
Former Colorado state Rep. Steph Vigil, a democrat, said the public’s trust in local law enforcement working with federal authorities is concerning.
“We also have a serious trust issue with law enforcement agencies,” Vigil said. “And we definitely have serious trust issues with any law enforcement agency following Trump’s orders.”
Vigil, who represented Central Colorado Springs, raised concerns over the lack of due process and need for greater transparency when law enforcement uses their powers.
“It just needs to be a lot better,” she said. “I don’t think it’s fair to the people of this community to just say, ‘You’re safer, and you have to take our word for it.’”
Advocates and legal experts also questioned the constitutional grounds of the raid. Community members said the nightclub was stormed by agents with weapons drawn, creating widespread panic among more than 200 people inside, including off-duty service members working as security.
“We will not allow federal scare tactics and raids to divide us,” said Erika Carpentier, a Colorado Springs resident and volunteer with the Colorado Rapid Response Network. “We will continue fighting for a state where everyone, regardless of immigration status, is treated with dignity and fairness.”
In a statement posted online, Sheriff Joseph Roybal said he stands behind his agency’s support in Sunday’s operation.
“As Sheriff, I am wholly committed to keeping the citizens and deputies who live and work in my community safe. To do so, we will continue to arrest and charge criminals regardless of their country of origin,” the statement read in part.
Vigil echoed the call for accountability and emphasized the need for restraint when local agencies collaborate with federal forces.
“I have a lot of questions about who was let go and who was detained,” Vigil said. “We’ve heard of one individual who showed his ID and was told he was free to go. Well, if you’re there for drugs — why that guy?” Vigil asked. “Either the right to due process applies to absolutely everyone or it’s a privilege.”