DENVER, CO — Community leaders and immigrant rights organizations gathered today to deliver over 2,000 petition signatures that demand immediate action from Colorado officials following ongoing revelations of illegal collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and dangerous overreach by surveillance companies like Flock Safety.
From the Mesa County Sheriff sending personal data in a Signal chat, which led to the ICE detainment of a 19-year-old nursing student, to Governor Polisdirecting state employees to illegally share sensitive information with ICE, to Loveland Police admitting ICE’s use of their Flock camera database, this backdoor data sharing is not only illegal, it’s a betrayal of Colorado’s values and the safety of all residents.
“Governor Polis has gone as far as to force state employees to break the law by sharing information with ICE,” said Beatriz Garcia, Western Slope Regional Organizer at the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. “Even after a Colorado judge issued a preliminary injunction to halt this dangerous request for information sharing, the Governor and other leaders like Mayor Johnston have failed to take corrective action.”
Flock surveillance cameras are now used in cities across the state, collecting vast amounts of data that can be accessed by ICE and other agencies with little oversight. Communities have not been informed — and have not consented — to being constantly watched, tracked, and put at risk.
“Mass surveillance doesn’t just hurt immigrants,” said Beatriz. “These tools are being used to monitor protest activity, track our movements, and chill free speech. What targets one group today can be used against all of us tomorrow.”
The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, Casa de Paz, Movimiento Poder, Working Families Party, and Aurora Unidos are issuing three urgent demands:
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Flock Off. Cities like Denver must immediately shut off Flock cameras and publicly release audit logs showing how this data has been used.
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Investigate and Enforce the Law. Attorney General Weiser must launch investigations into ICE collaboration and data sharing violations across Colorado.
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Action, Not Just Words. Governor Polis, Mayor Johnston, and all elected officials must stop enabling federal overreach and commit to protecting Coloradans’ rights and safety.
“This is a profit-driven system,” said Beatriz. “Private surveillance companies are making billions while our public safety — and our dignity — pay the price.”