Federal agents used pepper spray and rubber bullets on dozens of protestors who had arms and legs linked in a human chain blocking the two exits to the fenced-off Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Bodo Park in Durango.
Community members were protesting the detainment of Fernando Jaramillo-Solano, 45, and his two children, 12 and 15, who were taken by ICE agents on Monday, October 27. The family, asylum seekers from Colombia, has lived in Colorado for more than 18 months.
Enrique Orozco-Perez is the co-executive Director of Compañeros Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center. Orozco-Perez says Companeros has been working with the family on an active asylum case since December 2024.
“We went to the ICE office to present the paperwork for this family, because they are asylum seekers, which means they are a protected class. ICE refused our paperwork and refused to release the children,” said Orozco-Perez.
Community members responded to the detainment by protesting outside of the ICE building and attempting to block federal agents from removing the detainees from the premises.
On Monday, the protest began at 8 a.m., and by evening, approximately 100 people were chanting and singing outside the ICE building.
Overnight, the temperatures were below freezing. Protestors stayed in front of the ICE building fence all night.
At 6 a.m. on Tuesday, a speeding unmarked vehicle approached the protest and the ICE building. Protesters said the vehicle was charging towards the ICE building and the protest.
The vehicle was trying to move past the protestors, and ICE agents emerged to destroy the protesters’ camp. One protester was grabbed by her hair and thrown to the ground.
After the first violent altercation, the protestors regrouped and prepared for a possible second altercation.
Protestors formed a seated human chain to try to prevent any vehicles from exiting or entering the ICE office. They were concerned about the children being removed and brought to a detention center.
On Tuesday, around 12 p.m., federal agents started approaching protestors who were seated in a human chain formation.
One protester, a Durango native who works as a teacher in town, spoke with KSUT on the condition of anonymity.
“We saw officers in military fatigues and combat gear approach the human chain, and that's when, almost immediately, they started coming after us, and they tried pulling us apart with their hands. And they didn't try very hard or very long, because almost immediately they started pepper-spraying us in the face. It was horrible. It was a horrible sensation in my eyes, my nose, and my mouth. Everything was burning. My whole head was on fire. They also got my clothes from head to toe, which means that my shirt, my sweater, my thermal, my pants, even my socks and my boots were covered in pepper spray, which resulted in burns on my body from my face all the way down to my feet. One of the soldiers had shot me in my back with a rubber round. It started stinging. I have a dark red welt on my back from that.”
The protester shared how they felt and reacted as federal agents were attacking them.
“Sitting there with my community members linking arms, I felt strong. I did not feel afraid because I had my community members with me, and I knew that I would be taken care of. I sat there while everybody was screaming at the agents and trying to hold their ground. I continued holding my ground. I was praying my rosary as loudly as I could and as peacefully as I could, just kind of calm my nerves and try and calm others around me.”
After the second violent attack, a few ICE vehicles were able to get by. According to FOX31, ICE reported that Jaramillo-Solano is no longer in Colorado. According to ICE, “he will be held in ICE custody at the Dilley ICE Processing Center in Dilley, Texas, pending immigration proceedings.”
Activists are encouraging community members to write and call local and state representatives, asking them to advocate for the release of the family. A GoFundMe page has been created for the family.
