AURORA | Four protesters were detained Monday outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Centennial after a staged die-in to oppose the detention of immigrants at the Aurora GEO facility.

Near the end of the scheduled demonstration, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies detained and cited four people who were blocking an entrance to the field office property or standing in the roadway. Sheriff’s office deputies on scene said the protesters risked trespassing charges for demonstrating in the entryway.

In a statement, the sheriff’s office said the protesters were detained, cited and released at the scene for impeding operations at a public building. Terry Burnsed, 68, Merrill Carter, 69, and Carol Corrales, 35, were charged with obstruction of a public roadway, while Mateo Henry, 20, is charged with obstruction of a peace officer.

Prior to the arrests, a group of about 75 to 100 people gathered at about 8 a.m. outside the field office with testimonials from family members of immigrants held at the GEO facility and a die-in on the sidewalk in front of the building.

The event was organized by two community groups, the American Friends Service and Shut Down GEO.

The testimonials alleged poor conditions at the GEO facility, including inedible food, a lack of healthcare and no air conditioning.

“We’re here to stand up against that,” Anna Rose Craig, a coordinator with the American Friends Service, said. “The reason that we are targeting this place specifically is because of the decision making power that exists in this building behind us.”

Some elected officials took part, including Democrats state Sen. Julie Gonzalez, Rep. Kenny Nguyen and Aurora Councilmember Alli Jackson, getting outlined in chalk while 911 calls from the detention facility played on a speaker.

Some of the protesters held large banners with anti-ICE slogans and stood in the entrances to the field office property, blocking cars from entering or exiting. When officers for the Department of Homeland Security asked protesters to move from the entryways, most returned to the sidewalk.

After the die-in ended, one group continued to hold a banner and block an entrance to the property. A large group of officers from the sheriff’s department and DHS, some in riot gear, asked the protesters to move several times over 30 to 40 minutes before arresting four demonstrators, including an older man on oxygen.

The protest was spurred by a proposed new detention facility in Hudson, recent reports of a tuberculosis case at the Aurora detention facility, as well as last week’s shooting of a protester by an off-duty employee of the detention center. 

“We know that this shooting is a mirror to the violence that occurs inside of that facility every day,” Craig said. “The shooting is a representation of the violence that GEO and ICE bring into our communities and our neighborhoods and we say shame.”

Brandon A. Booth, 42, is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder, first degree assault, attempted first degree assault, felony menacing and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon. 

Booth is accused of shooting Emma Landis, 21, in the ankle as she was leaving a protest outside of the Aurora facility on the evening of July 16. 

Police said the protest blocked Booth, a GEO Group employee, from entering the facility and that Landis and another woman verbally confronted him and took pictures of his car. As the women walked away, Booth allegedly grabbed a personal weapon and fired at them, hitting Landis.

In a statement, GEO Group said Booth is on unpaid leave and the company is fully cooperating with law enforcement.

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