Locals react to DEA's operation of illegal nightclub
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Many community members spent Sunday making calls to immigration lawyers to help those who are in custody, as they try to figure out where their loved ones are being held after Sunday morning's operation at a nightclub that resulted in the arrest of more than 100 illegal immigrants.
Emotions were high for hundreds of people across Colorado Springs on Sunday, April 28, as many people woke up to learn their friend or family member had been arrested during the early morning hours.
'We have to be united,' said Patricia Rodriguez, a family member of four people who were arrested.
On Sunday, she returned to the nightclub with her niece, who had been detained the night before.
'I got a call that they started to take citizens and non-citizens,' said Rodriguez. 'I was worried for my family, four members of my family were taken. My niece was taken, they placed her in handcuffs, another nephew who is also a citizen was also arrested, and he doesn't have nothing to do with what happened.'
She returned on Sunday to get their cars, because many of the vehicles were being towed. Her nephew is in the hospital from injuries he received during the event.
'My nephew is in the hospital because he has a condition where he breathes through his neck, and the gas affected him. They did not care; they just wanted to grab people and did it in a discriminatory way against the Latin community,' she added.
She described the treatment from officers 'like animals and abuse'.
'What I saw, what I heard, and was told is that it didn't matter who you were, they were just grabbing any person, and people trying to run were held at gunpoint and arrested immediately, no questions asked. No one could escape; they threw smoke grenades,' said Rodriguez.
People who were not involved also visited the nightclub on Sunday, with one supporting the operation.
'I'm just driving around seeing where all the fun happened last night,' said a man who did not want to be named.
He, along with others, said authorities did the right thing by taking action.
'That's a good thing, it's great to know that that many criminals are off the street,' he added.
He also told FOX21 that it does not matter which president is in office; everyone should obey the law.
'There are obviously things going on in there that are illegal that nobody should tolerate. All the law enforcement agencies stepped up and evidently have a lot to work with, and they did their job to arrest people and bring justice,' he said.
He also added that he does not think the operation will make the Pikes Peak Region any safer.
'I didn't feel safe yesterday, and I don't feel safer today,' he added.
Rodriguez said her message to her community is unity, 'We have always been a community, but we need to be more united now because it's not fair what they do with us. We don't deserve this, we are in a free country, in a country full of opportunities, and I know we can't go over the law, but we also deserve an opportunity.'
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