Denver Mayor Stands Up for Protesters, Blocks ICE on City Grounds

A new city order gives Denver police the power to shield peaceful demonstrators from federal immigration agents. The mayor’s directive also bars ICE officials from using any municipal property for enforcement work. This move follows a wave of actions by Democratic leaders in response to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration tactics. The federal government has been criticized for using ICE to target immigrants, especially after two U. S. citizens were shot dead by federal agents in Minnesota last January. The incident sparked outrage from human‑rights groups and prompted local officials to seek ways to protect residents from similar violence. In Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey already signed a rule that stops federal agencies from staging raids in city parking lots or vacant land. Denver’s new order mirrors this stance, telling local police to apply de‑escalation techniques whenever ICE agents appear on city property. The goal is to keep protests safe and preserve free‑speech rights.The mayor also stated that if an ICE officer uses excessive force against a Denver resident, the city will detain and remove that officer. He emphasized that local officers hold themselves to the same standard of conduct as federal agents, underscoring a commitment to fairness and accountability. The White House has urged local governments to cooperate with ICE, claiming that resistance is “doing the bidding of criminal illegal aliens. ” Meanwhile, critics argue that the federal crackdown creates a climate of fear and undermines due process for all citizens. These actions reflect a broader national debate over immigration enforcement, federal authority, and the protection of civil liberties in public spaces.