After receiving a vague email from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), José, his wife, and their three children arrived on Sunday, June 29, at ICE’s Denver Field Office and Office of Chief Counsel in Centennial, Colorado.

The message, which José received the previous Tuesday, instructed him to appear in person and to bring all family members who had entered the United States with him.

The email did not explain the purpose of the appointment, but advocates had told them that the most likely outcome would be detention and deportation.

The email stated, “Greetings, You have been scheduled for an appointment at the DENVER FOD [field office director] AND CHIEF COUNSEL OFFICE on Sunday, June 29, 2025 11:00AM. Appointment Location DENVER FOD AND CHIEF COUNSEL OFFICE 12445 EAST CALEY AVENUECENTENNIAL, CO, Site Directions. Site Instructions. Appointment Instructions. Please bring all family members who entered the United States together to this appointment.Por favor, traiga a todos los miembros de la familia que ingresaron a los Estados Unidos juntos a esta cita. PLEASE BRING THIS EMAIL TO THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT AS CONFIRMATION **Please do not reply, this email is an automated notification sent from an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions, or need to cancel/change your appointment, please visit checkin.ice.gov or call 401-733-4800 for assistance.“

The family, originally from Venezuela, is seeking asylum in the United States and has resided in Colorado for over three years as they await their next court date. Two of the children are enrolled in local schools. Their youngest, born in the United States, is a citizen. For safety reasons, their full names are not being used.

Outside the facility, the family waited alongside several advocates and community supporters. While adults spoke in low tones, the family’s 8-year-old daughter quietly picked flowers and handed them out to those who had come to support them. Her older brother, 14, stood beside their father.

I asked the son, who speaks English fluently, if he could ask his mother why they had left Venezuela. He translated her response. His mother said the decision had been a matter of life and death.

“To keep our family alive and safe. To give our children a better future here in America,” she said.

The family brought extensive documentation, including asylum hearing notices, school records, and identification. One of the advocates, a family friend named Anna Jones, assisted with coordinating the paperwork.

“We’re limited to the number of people we can send in, so we’re debating who would be the best,” she said. “We also discussed the risks. If one person goes in alone, they could be detained. If all five go in, they could all be detained.”

At their scheduled appointment time, the family attempted to enter the building but was stopped by a man who identified himself only as Mr. Curtis. He informed them that no one beyond the immediate family would be permitted inside. When asked whether one advocate could accompany them, he declined to answer. After further discussion, he said the family could remain outside while his supervisor reviewed their documents.

About an hour later, Mr. Curtis returned. He told the family they were free to leave and instructed them to return for a follow-up check-in in November.

Other families were seen entering the ICE facility and leaving on the same day.

Under the Trump Administration, ICE is arresting about 9 people per day in Colorado or about 1,350 from January through June 10, according to figures published in The Denver Post, based on data obtained by the Deportation Data Project at the University of California Berkeley law school. That’s about a 300% increase from the same period last year.

Most immigrants arrested in Colorado do not have a criminal conviction: 40% had a prior conviction, and 30% had charges pending, and an additional 30% were labeled as “other immigration violator.”

Jones said the experience had taken a toll on everyone involved.

“This was stressful,” she said. “This family is wonderful. They’re kind, thoughtful, and they’ve become close friends,” she said. “The kids are incredibly bright and completely fluent in English. They’ve built a life here. They’re part of this community.”

Though the outcome brought relief, the process left the family shaken. The ICE email had offered no indication that this was a routine check-in, and they had arrived uncertain about what to expect.

The family will remain in Colorado as they continue preparing for their asylum hearing, scheduled for early next year.