Community organizations in the state of Colorado, United States, expressed their concern over the detention of Mexican activist Jeanette Vizguerra. For years, Vizguerra remained sheltered in churches in Denver to avoid her deportation, becoming a symbol of the fight for immigrant rights and giving momentum to the so-called sanctuary cities in the country.
According to family and friends, the activist's expulsion could occur soon. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a nonprofit organization advocating for immigrant rights, reported that Vizguerra was arrested by ICE agents on Monday and taken to the GEO detention center in Aurora.
Vizguerra's attorneys have filed a habeas corpus petition arguing that her detention was illegal. The activist's family has described her arrest as a violation of due process and has pledged to continue the fight for her release, having raised over $20,000 through an online campaign.
Jeanette Vizguerra arrived in the United States in 1997 fleeing threats in Mexico. In 2009, her deportation was ordered due to a traffic violation, but she continued to appeal. Her temporary protection expired in 2020, and she currently faces a possible expulsion.
Senators and the mayor of Colorado have intervened on Vizguerra's behalf, while the community has protested demanding her release outside the detention center where she is located. Amid the controversy, it is noted that her detention could involve serious legal mistakes and violations of her procedural rights, including communication with her family.
