By Shannon Lukens. Photos are courtesy screen shots from a video shot by Roberto Hernandez.
ICE detention agents have been in Steamboat Springs, and picking people up. It was all caught on live video.
Video from Roberto Hernandez on Facebook
Video screenshots courtesy Roberto Hernandez via Integrated Community.
Some agents were wearing masks, saying they were conducting a “Federal Investigation.” Their vests had the letters ERO on them, which stands for Enforcement and Removal Operations, which is a part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE.
Jerry Hernandez is the Executive Director of Integrated Community. He says they were made aware of the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations from the live video posted on Facebook.
Integrated Community shared the video with this post:
Community Alert: Documented ICE Activity 
Resources on Your Rights:
Reminder: If you see activity of the migration authorities, you have the right to record in public spaces and to remain silent if you ask questions.Hernandez says up until now, they were told that ICE agents could not pull vehicles over or conduct traffic stops. But he says the “apparently the office of Enforcement Removal can.”
He says the man who shot the video contacted Integrated Community saying his workers were being followed into Alpine Mountain Ranch and Club.
“They contacted him to say they were being followed by two trucks. He advised them to just pull over and roll the windows up and don’t say anything. But by the time he got there, they already had one of them out of the vehicle and arrested, and they were working on getting the other one out of the car.”
Hernandez says those two men are already on their way to Denver with the agents.
“Basically, the effect that it’s having is that people are afraid to go out of their homes, they’re afraid to go to work, they’re potentially not going to be sending their kids to school. How long this is going to go on for? I don’t know.”
“There’s just a lot of fear in the community, to be honest. And not just among the immigrant population but among the community members in general because it’s not something we’re used to seeing in Steamboat. But it is happening.”
Hernandez says agents were at Walmart and Dream Island today. Others were arrested on 7th Street coming off of a bus, according to Hernandez.
He doesn’t know how the agents are determining how people are getting arrested. He says Integrated Communities is trying to reassure community members. He has volunteers going door-to-door in certain areas of the community with “Know your Rights” cards, if someone comes knocking at their door.
They have volunteers who are helping people who may be afraid to go to the grocery store or doctor’s appointments, and that kind of thing.
Hernandez says that they can refuse to speak if someone comes knocking at their door and asking questions. They do not have to sign any document, based on their 5th Amendment rights. They do not have to give permission for someone to come in and search their home, unless there is a warrant or arrest warrant issued and signed by an administration judge or magistrate. Fourth amendment rights also say they cannot search their belongings or vehicle. Hernandez explains those rights.
Hernandez says Integrated Communities is a non-profit. They will never obstruct law enforcement or investigations. He says it isn’t their role. He understands that law enforcement has a job to do and there are circumstances where people need to be arrested regardless of their status.
“Our role is to simply to ensure the immigrant population that they shouldn’t be afraid to come to our offices, which is what is happening. One of the things that we’re doing is we’re relying more on virtual appointments because I’ve had people telling me that they’re afraid to come to our offices. And that could be somebody that is a resident of the United States or in the immigration process that puts them beyond the reach of any law enforcement agency that is looking for folks that are undocumented, because people are just afraid of how it is going down. They don’t have confidence in the system.”
Steamboat Springs Police Chief Mark Beckett says he has been receiving calls about it but confirmed that the ICE agents have not been communicating with Steamboat Springs Police or the Routt County Sheriff’s Office.
Steamboat Springs Police Commander Rich Brown added, “They don’t share their activities with us.”
Steamboat Springs Police and the Routt County Sheriff’s Office posted the following message on social media:
The Steamboat Springs Police Department (SSPD) and Routt County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) are aware of videos being posted on social media depicting ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) activity in the Steamboat Springs area. At this time, federal authorities have not been in contact with either SSPD nor RCSO to notify us of any enforcement actions.
SSPD and RCSO remain committed to providing service to ALL our community members, regardless of their immigration status. Under state law, SSPD/RCSO will not participate in any immigration enforcement efforts by the federal government and would like to reiterate all community members know they are safe to call to report a crime or to ask questions. SSPD/RCSO remain committed to valuing the civil rights of every person in our community.