Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activists in Denver, Colorado, have reportedly interfered with ICE agents’ attempt to arrest Jose Reyes Leon-Deras, an illegal migrant from El Salvador convicted of child rape in Italy. ICE Colorado stated that their agents were trying to detain Leon-Deras when members of a local anti-ICE group, Colorado Rapid Response, alerted him to their presence through social media, allowing him to evade capture. ICE criticized the group for disrupting their operations, warning that such interference undermines community safety.
Leon-Deras, a criminal alien, had been under surveillance by ICE for his conviction in Italy. The activists, according to ICE, shared information on social media, including details about the type of vehicle used by agents, which facilitated his escape. ICE has urged the public to report Leon-Deras’s whereabouts to federal authorities but cautioned against approaching him directly. The incident underscores the escalating tensions between ICE and anti-ICE groups, with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston previously vowing to station police to block ICE deportations.
Denver, a sanctuary city, has spent over $356 million on migrant services since a 2017 ordinance was enacted to limit cooperation with ICE. Anti-ICE protests have surged since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and his pledge to carry out the largest deportation mission in U.S. history. Recent incidents include violent protests in Portland, Oregon, where demonstrators blocked an ICE deportation facility and used fireworks and lasers against law enforcement, and riots in Los Angeles that forced the deployment of the National Guard. The “No Kings” protests, which opposed mass deportations, have seen widespread opposition across the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem noted that 75% of the illegal aliens arrested under the Trump administration have been charged with or convicted of a crime. The situation highlights broader concerns about the balance between national security and humanitarian efforts, as anti-ICE activists and immigration advocates continue to clash over policies affecting the treatment of undocumented individuals in the United States.