Six Colorado lawmakers have condemned reports of “death cards” found in Eagle County vehicles this year and are calling for an independent investigation.
According to Latino advocacy nonprofit Voces Unidas, the ace of spades playing card was left in at least two abandoned vehicles after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained the drivers.
The cards had the address and phone number of an ICE detention center in Aurora printed on them.
The ace of spades was used by members of the U.S. military in the Vietnam War to intimidate enemy soldiers.
U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper called on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to open an investigation and requested a full briefing on the incidents and steps taken to prevent further intimidation of Latino communities.
Hickenlooper also spoke on the Senate floor on Jan. 30 to condemn the “death cards.”
U.S. Senators Hickenlooper, Michael Bennett, and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, and Brittany Pettersen called the incidents “unacceptable” in a statement on Feb. 3.
“This behavior undermines public trust in law enforcement, raises serious civil rights concerns, and falls far short of the professional standards expected of federal agents,” the lawmakers wrote.
The letter also shares reports from Voces Unidas that federal immigration officials in unmarked vehicles conducted traffic stops with sirens and detained several Latino individuals.
“We are deeply concerned by the allegations that the federal agents were utilizing sirens to falsely act as local law enforcement,” the lawmakers wrote. “This behavior leads individuals to believe they are lawfully required to pull over for a traffic violation, when in reality, the federal government has no authority over local or state traffic regulations.”
Lawmakers requested that DHS provide a formal, detailed briefing on ICE activities in Eagle County, a written report detailing the findings of the ongoing investigation, and an independent investigation by the DHS Office of Inspector General into the Denver Field Office.
They requested a response by February 13.
