A local immigration rights group is demanding an Aurora immigration detention facility release people during appropriate times after a man in his 70s with cognitive impairments was released early Monday morning and got lost for several hours, according to a news release from .
The man, who Casa de Paz identified as “Javier,” on Monday was released from the Aurora GEO facility sometime before 8 a.m., according to Andrea Loya, executive director of immigrant advocacy organization Casa de Paz. The organization welcomes and helps people released from the immigration detention center.
The man’s attorney was not provided information on his release nor was Casa de Paz, Loya said. The man hopped on a bus that took him to downtown Denver, miles from his home in a senior living facility. He was lost for five hours in 83-degree weather, wearing a long-sleeve shirt and sweatpants. He had barely any money and the only items to his name in a plastic bag, Loya said.
“It is inhumane to do this to individuals,” said a Tuesday news release from Casa de Paz. “Casa de Paz has been in the community for 14 years and the Aurora Geo facility knows this. They also know that we regularly are not stationed outside the facility until 10 a.m. and in the past we have received calls for early releases. In addition, we are typically notified when vulnerable individuals, such as Javier, are released.”
Representatives for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the private prison company that runs the immigration detention facility, GEO, could not immediately be reached for comment.
ICE has previously told Casa de Paz that it has to release people based on the orders it receives and sometimes that means letting people go immediately, Loya said.
“Yet, this is simply not true,” the news release said. “We’ve seen people who have paid bonds days in advance but are being held a few days after. We demand that people be released during appropriate times during the day so they can make the suitable, and safe arrangements to get back to their loved ones.”
In a moment of lucidity, Loya said Javier called one of his longtime caregivers on Monday and described his surroundings. His caregivers and members of Casa de Paz found him Monday afternoon near the intersection of Stout Street and Broadway, Loya said.
“The advocates fighting for his case have done everything they can to keep his senior living apartment so he doesn’t lose his housing, so they were ready for his release,” Loya said. “People had his keys, ways of doing the paperwork, things were ready for him to get home after release, but nobody was notified.”
Loya was thankful Javier was found safely.
“Today, we don’t mourn another death at the hands of ICE because this community refuses to let our neighbors get lost in the shadows,” the news release said. “We demand that ICE and Geo use the resources that are available to them and the community so that we can ensure the safety of those released from custody.”
