Posted March 27, 2025
A District Court Judge ruled on March 21, that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not deport Jeanette Vizguerra or transfer her out of state while her court case is still pending.
Ms. Vizguerra’s family reacted to the news, “Today, a district court judge ruled that the government cannot move our mom while her case is pending with that court or the 10th circuit court. The ruling gives us one more protection while our mom’s fight for justice and freedom continues. Even though this is a big victory, we need the community to join us in keeping watch to ensure the government complies. Of course, our Mom continues to call on the public and congress to investigate the conditions inside GEO and wants to draw attention to the fact that she is not the only one unjustly detained.”
The for-profit detention center has years of human rights violations and report of terrible conditions including lack of adequate health care and inadequate nutrition. Advocates are very concerned for everyone’s health and safety in the facility. The day after the escapes, detainees were denied phone access and meals, only given three slices of bread, an apple and a tablespoon of jam. The facility alleges it was because the third party phone system broke down and power to the kitchen on the same day.
“We are relieved and cautiously optimistic in the wake of this order,” states Jordan García, Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee. “The order gives Jeanette’s lawyers and the government, if they choose to come to the table, time to resolve Jeanette’s case without imminent removal or transfer hanging over her. We will remain vigilant, and our human rights observers will continue to document any movement to remove Ms. Vizguerra.”
“Earlier this week, we requested organizations to sign on to a letter in support of Ms. Vizguerra and her freedom,” states Raquel Lane-Arellano of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. “We received an incredible outpouring of support from over 180 organizations nationally and locally and from 78 elected officials and local leaders in just a few hours. In addition, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, Representatives DeGette, Neguse, Crow and Petterson, Governor Polis, Mayor Johnston and County Clerk Paul López all issued statements.”
Ms. Vizguerra, a Colorado community leader and mother, has led the fight against her own deportation for the past eight years. She is the mother of four children, three of whom are US citizens and one of whom is a permanent resident.
Ms. Vizguerra immigrated to Colorado with her daughter and husband from her native México City, México in 1997, after her husband was threatened at gunpoint. Initially, Jeanette worked cleaning office buildings and became a member and later organizer of SEIU Local 105, where she fought for better pay and benefits for janitors. She joined Rights for All People, a local community organization, and worked to establish trust and relationship between the immigrant community and the police. She and her husband started a moving and cleaning company and eventually had three more US citizen children.
In 2009, Jeanette was placed into deportation proceedings following a routine traffic stop which resulted in a conviction in the Arapahoe County Court for M3 Attempted Possession of a Forged Instrument. In her immigration case, Jeanette applied for Cancellation of Removal, and became one of the first individuals in Colorado to publicly share the circumstances of her deportation case. Jeanette worked hard to inspire others with her courage and passion, but her case was denied by the Denver Immigration Judge on November 18, 2011.
On December 16, 2011, she appealed her case to the Board of Immigration Appeals. However, in September 2012, while her appeal was pending, Jeanette received a call from Mexico that her mother was dying. Despite 17 years in the US and thousands of miles, Jeanette and her mother spoke weekly. There are no humanitarian visas or programs available for those circumstances and Jeanette decided she had to be at her mother’s side before she died. She flew to México the next day but, while she was in the air, her mother died. In departing, Jeanette withdrew her pending BIA appeal.
Seven months later, Jeanette returned to the United States and on April 20, 2013 was apprehended by US Customs and Border Protection. On May 1, 2013 she pleaded guilty to one count of illegal entry under 8 USC 1325(a)(1) and was sentenced to one year unsupervised probation.
Following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, on February 15, 2017, ICE denied Jeanette’s sixth Stay of Removal renewal application, and she entered into sanctuary at the First Unitarian Church in Denver, Colorado. On January 30, 2017, U.S. Congressman Jared Polis (CO-02) introduced H.R. 752, a private bill that would also provide Jeanette with a path to permanent residency. On February 8, 2017, H.R. 752 was assigned to the Immigration and Border Security subcommittee. On March 9, 2017, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced S. 603, a private bill in the Senate that mirrors H.R. 752. As a result of these bills, Jeanette was granted a two year stay on March 15, 2017.
On March 15, 2019, her stay of deportation was not renewed. Jeanette took Sanctuary for the second time. She was able to leave sanctuary in 2020. Immigration detained her on March 17 on the street. ICE alleges she has a final order of removal so they can immediately remove her. The government has yet to provide a final order and her legal team insists she does not have one.
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