Protests Erupt in Denver as Demonstrators Demand Freedom for Detained Activists

DENVER — On March 19, 2025, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Denver, rallying for the release of two prominent activists, Mahmoud Khalil and Jeanette Vizguerra, both currently held in custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The demonstrations, which unfolded across the city’s downtown area and the Auraria Campus, underscored growing tensions over immigration policies under the Trump administration, with chants of “Freedom Now!” echoing through the crisp spring air.

The protests began in the early afternoon, with a significant gathering at the Auraria Campus’s Tivoli Quad, where students and community members united to call for an end to what they describe as politically motivated detentions. According to KUNC, a local NPR affiliate, demonstrators specifically demanded the release of Jeanette Vizguerra, a longtime immigrant rights advocate detained by ICE on Monday, March 17, and Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student arrested earlier this month for his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests (KUNC, “Protests around Denver call for the release of immigration activist Jeanette Vizguerra,” March 19, 2025).

Vizguerra, a mother of four who has lived in the United States for nearly 30 years, was apprehended outside her workplace at a Target store in Denver, an action her supporters decry as retaliatory. The Colorado Sun reported that ICE officials have labeled her a “convicted criminal alien” facing deportation, citing a 16-year legal battle stemming from her initial illegal entry in 1997 and subsequent minor convictions (Colorado Sun, “ICE calls detained Denver activist Jeanette Vizguerra a ‘convicted criminal alien,’ says she faces deportation,” March 19, 2025). Her detention has sparked outrage, with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston condemning it as “Putin-style persecution of political dissidents,” a sentiment he reiterated during a press conference today (Denver Post, “ICE detention of Jeanette Vizguerra starts deportation legal battle,” March 19, 2025).

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Khalil’s case has drawn national attention, with his arrest tied to the Trump administration’s crackdown on student demonstrators. The Associated Press noted that Khalil, a legal permanent resident, was detained on March 8 in New York and is now held in a Louisiana ICE facility, despite a federal judge’s order blocking his immediate deportation (AP News, “ICE arrests Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil,” March 9, 2025). Protesters in Denver linked his plight to Vizguerra’s, framing both as examples of targeted suppression of dissent.

“Trump is cracking down on anyone who opposes his administration’s unjust policies,” read a statement from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, shared via X, which helped organize today’s march. “The only way to win is to unite our struggles!” (X, @pslnational, March 19, 2025). The group led a spirited procession through downtown Denver, with participants waving signs reading “Free Jeanette” and “Justice for Mahmoud.”

At the Auraria rally, speakers like student organizer Khalid Hamu emphasized the need to raise awareness. “I want everybody who even heard a slight murmur of Jeanette’s name or Mahmoud’s story to know what’s happening,” Hamu told KUNC, highlighting the broader call for immigrant rights and free speech protections (KUNC, March 19, 2025). Demonstrators also kept a vigil outside the Aurora ICE detention facility, where Vizguerra is held, watching for any sign of her potential transfer to the airport for deportation.

The protests come amid a flurry of legal battles. Vizguerra’s attorneys filed a habeas corpus petition today, arguing that ICE lacks valid grounds for her detention, while Khalil’s legal team secured a court ruling transferring his case to New Jersey (Denver Post, March 19, 2025; BBC News, “Mahmoud Khalil's case transferred from Louisiana to New Jersey,” March 19, 2025). As night fell, the demonstrators vowed to continue their efforts, with plans for further actions in the coming days.

Today’s events in Denver reflect a city galvanized by the intersection of local and national struggles, as residents and activists alike demand justice for those they see as symbols of resistance against an escalating immigration crackdown. 17GEN4.com