MANHUNT: ICE Escapees at Large After COLORADO, Aurora PD Declines Assistance

Aurora, Colorado — March 20, 2025 - Two detainees escaped from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora, Colorado, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, during a power outage that temporarily disrupted operations at the facility. The escapees, identified by ICE as Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, from Mexico, and Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, from Venezuela, remain at large as of early Thursday morning, March 20.

ICE officials reported that the Aurora Police Department (APD) declined to assist in the immediate search for the fugitives, citing limitations imposed by Colorado state law. The incident has reignited tensions between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement, raising questions about jurisdictional responsibilities and public safety in the Denver metro area.

According to a statement from ICE’s Denver field office, obtained by FOX31 Denver, the escape occurred during a power outage that affected the Denver Contract Detention Facility, a privately operated center managed by The GEO Group. The outage, which ICE has not detailed in terms of duration or cause, provided an opportunity for Gonzalez-Gonzalez and Vido-Romero to flee the facility. ICE reported that the two men were last seen wearing orange long-sleeve tops, beige pants, and black Crocs, a description corroborated by posts on X from journalist Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV, March 19, 2025).

The GEO Group, which has operated the Aurora facility since 1986 under contract with ICE and the U.S. Marshals Service, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the security lapse. The facility, accredited by the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, has a history of scrutiny, including a 2019 escape by three detainees and allegations of poor conditions reported by Colorado Newsline in 2023. Tuesday’s breach marks the latest challenge to its security protocols.

ICE provided background on the escapees to shed light on their cases. Gonzalez-Gonzalez was encountered by ICE on January 8, 2025, at the Adams County Jail in Brighton, where he faced local charges. ICE issued an immigration detainer and took him into custody on February 12, pending immigration proceedings. Vido-Romero, meanwhile, entered the U.S. near Eagle Pass, Texas, on December 20, 2023, and was released by Border Patrol on his own recognizance. An immigration judge ordered his removal to Venezuela in absentia on February 18, 2025, after he failed to appear in court. ICE encountered him on February 26 at the Douglas County Jail in Castle Rock following a local arrest.

ICE officials stated that they immediately notified local authorities after the escape but were met with a refusal from the Aurora Police Department to assist in the search. “We received late notification about the incident and upon response learned the event occurred several hours prior,” APD told FOX31 Denver. “The Aurora Police Department is available to assist our federal partners with active public safety emergencies. As a municipal law enforcement agency, we do not enforce federal immigration law and cannot participate in large-scale searches or follow-ups.”

This stance aligns with Colorado’s 2019 sanctuary law, signed by Governor Jared Polis, which prohibits local law enforcement from detaining individuals solely based on civil immigration detainers and restricts cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The law, intended to protect immigrant communities, has long been a point of contention between state officials and ICE, with the agency accusing local authorities of undermining federal efforts to enforce immigration policy.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also confirmed to FOX31 that it was not assisting ICE, stating it had not been contacted by federal agents. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office similarly reported no request for assistance, while inquiries to the Castle Rock Police Department and the Governor’s Office remained unanswered as of late Wednesday, according to KDVR.

The incident underscores a broader rift between ICE and Colorado’s local law enforcement, a dynamic that has intensified under the Trump administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement. In January and February 2025, ICE conducted high-profile raids in Aurora and Denver targeting alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, operations that drew criticism from immigrant advocates and local officials alike. Colorado Public Radio reported on February 6, 2025, that these raids “blurred the lines between civil immigration enforcement and criminal law enforcement in uncomfortable ways,” with local prosecutors expressing concern about diminished community trust.

Aurora, a city of over 400,000 residents in the Denver suburbs, has been a focal point in national immigration debates. During the 2024 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump dubbed his mass deportation plan “Operation Aurora,” amplifying claims—often disputed by local leaders—that the city was overrun by gang activity linked to migrants. The escapes on March 18 add fuel to this narrative, even as city officials maintain that their police force is bound by state law to prioritize local crime over federal immigration matters.

Chris Vanderveen, a reporter for Denver7, noted a discrepancy in the accounts provided by ICE and APD on X (@chrisvanderveen, March 19, 2025). “ICE still can’t say where they are. They left facility during power outage in the area,” he wrote, suggesting ongoing confusion or miscommunication between the agencies. Aurora PD’s claim of late notification contrasts with ICE’s assertion of immediate outreach, leaving the timeline murky.

As the search continues, ICE has urged the public to report sightings of the escapees to its tip line or via an online form. The agency described both men as potentially dangerous, given their pending criminal charges—though specifics were not disclosed—and their immigration violations. Gonzalez-Gonzalez and Vido-Romero’s last known attire has been widely circulated, heightening local awareness in Aurora and surrounding areas.

Immigrant rights groups, already wary after recent ICE operations, expressed alarm. The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, which supports detainees at the Aurora facility, has been vocal about the facility’s conditions and the broader implications of federal enforcement. “Trump is directing resources to terrorize our community,” said Laura Lunn, the group’s director of advocacy and litigation, in a January 28, 2025, statement to The Denver Post, a sentiment likely to resurface in light of this escape.

Meanwhile, Aurora residents are grappling with the fallout. The facility, located near residential neighborhoods, has been a site of protests in recent years, including a March 18, 2025, vigil for activist Jeanette Vizguerra, who was detained by ICE, as reported by Yahoo News. The escape has renewed calls for transparency from both ICE and local officials, with Governor Polis stating on February 5, 2025, to Reuters that he seeks “more transparency from the federal government about the immigration actions being taken in Colorado” to ease community fears. 17GEN4.com