Denver immigrant advocates say an elderly man with cognitive impairments was released from federal immigration custody early Monday and left to navigate the city on his own, in the heat, with almost nothing in his pocket.
Identified by supporters only as "Javier," the man was reportedly dropped off from detention with barely any money and a plastic bag of belongings. Volunteers say he then spent hours wandering downtown before they could track him down, a sequence that has reignited long-running complaints about how and when migrants are released from federal custody.
According to The Denver Post, volunteers with the nonprofit Casa de Paz say Javier was released from the Aurora GEO detention facility before 8 a.m. on May 11. He then boarded a bus to downtown Denver and was lost for about five hours in what advocates described as sweltering weather before they found him near Stout Street and Broadway.
The Post reports he was wearing a long-sleeve shirt and sweatpants and had "barely any money" along with a few personal items in a plastic bag when volunteers finally reached him.
Who Meets People When They Are Released
Casa de Paz runs a volunteer “Welcome Team” that typically waits outside the Aurora detention center to meet people as they walk out. Volunteers help connect them with family, sponsors, or short-term shelter and offer backpacks, basic supplies, and brief support during those first hours of freedom.
The organization said that on May 11, volunteers were stretched thin after what it described as a surge of releases and publicly asked for more drivers and extra help. Casa de Paz’s posts and guides outline how its volunteers usually manage pick-ups and short-term assistance for people stepping out of detention.
Advocates Demand Daytime Releases
Andrea Loya, executive director of Casa de Paz, told The Denver Post that the group usually is not stationed outside the Aurora facility until around 10 a.m. and is not always told when people will be released earlier.
“It is inhumane to do this to individuals,” Loya said, as Casa de Paz called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the GEO Group to schedule releases during daylight hours, when volunteers can reliably be present, and safe transportation can be arranged.
Facility Context And What Advocates Plan Next
The Aurora processing center, which regularly holds large numbers of migrants, is operated by the GEO Group and is listed at 3130 North Oakland Street in Aurora.
Advocates say Javier’s ordeal highlights what can happen when vulnerable people are released without coordination or a clear handoff to community groups waiting to help. Organizers plan to press local leaders and their federal contacts for changes to how release times are scheduled and communicated, arguing that early-morning drop-offs set people up to get lost long before anyone can safely step in.
