Boiling Point: Erie Expands, ICE cracks down, and Boulder? Still Getting Sued

Erie continues to grow, passing 40K mark

Erie is rapidly growing, reaching a population of over 40,000. Perfectly nestled between Denver and Boulder, Erie has become a hot hub for many multi-family households to raise their children. Last year, the city saw a 9.1% increase in population, with over 3,000 new residents.

While Erie’s increase in residents is a promising sign for the city’s future development, its endless infrastructure and lack of affordable housing and accessible transportation have made things difficult for its residents. A prominent issue that has raised some concern amongst residents is the need for affordable housing units for these multi-family households, who are increasingly moving to Erie yearly. The Erie Board of Trustees made it the city’s goal to reach a 12% increase in affordable housing by 2035.

I spoke with a recent engineering graduate and resident of Erie about their opinion on the future of Erie’s development and population growth; they expressed concerns about Erie’s dedication to new construction projects that have overcrowded the city. 

They stated, “I have mixed feelings about Erie’s rapid growth. On the one hand, it has been nice to get more stores and city conveniences. It also allowed more housing opportunities; on the other hand, Erie has lost some of its small city charm due to the high number of new construction projects and has also caused more traffic and congestion.” 

Multiple infrastructure projects are taking place throughout the city. Prominent projects such as the Coal Creek Expansion Project and the County Line Corridor Project are just a few examples of the continuous cycle of congestion on Erie’s roads. This has manifested in road closures, detours, and extended construction phases.

When asked what significant challenges he sees in Erie’s increasing population growth, they said, “I think the main challenge facing this growth is the city’s ability to keep up with it. Infrastructure is beginning to be overcrowded because of how many people are here.” Infrastructure is the leading pioneer behind 90% of artificial greenhouse emissions. Weld County is one of the most drilled areas for oil and gas developments in the state of Colorado. 

In a recent study session last Tuesday, the Mayor of Erie, Andrew Moore, claimed that local town municipalities can’t do much regarding climate change, perceiving it as a more widespread global issue. We reached out to get a comment on what his plans are for Erie’s continuous growth; Moore explained, “The current plan is to send a comprehensive survey to help understand the desire for the type of growth Erie collectively wants and the tradeoffs.” He used the term “urban/suburban” to describe the potential directions for growth, adding that this plan will proceed once the council sets its direction for development and housing. However, he noted that the details will change depending on the council’s decisions. More updates are expected in the Spring.

Concern over Massive ICE Raids in Colorado 

Since Donald Trump has taken office, fears amongst many Americans have arisen, as his promise to crack down on immigration has left many individuals worried for their friends and loved ones. Rumors of mass deportation orders and ICE raids happening throughout Colorado have been flooding social media, with warnings stating ICE agents have been spotted in cities like Denver, Aurora, and Longmont. 

The American Immigration Council claims these new executive orders will affect the lives of individuals who are “border-crossers seeking refuge, to children born next month, to parents who are in the U.S. on temporary visas.” Many of these raids happen in vulnerable areas with multi-family households, such as school communities. 

Vague reports were posted on social media platforms in the past few days on Facebook and Instagram, warning friends and families of undocumented individuals, claiming ICE agents were being spotted in their area. 

On January 26, the Colorado Rapid Response Network reported that from around 3 AM to 6 AM on 6600 N. Federal Blvd., enforcement officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs, Drug Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and local law enforcement were spotted conducting a raid on a nightclub and arrested over 50 people, claiming it was part of a “drug and criminal network.” Of the 50 people who were arrested, reports claim that 41 were undocumented. 

This support network is run by the community and has been vigorously working to warn undocumented individuals in the state if ICE agents are in their area and where they are located. 

The Trump administration has stated it will enforce ICE raids in vulnerable areas such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship. On January 24, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said that the city of Denver would “sue the Trump administration” if they enforced ICE agents in schools. Just yesterday, according to the New York Post, a substitute teacher in Texas replied to ICE on X, tweeting, “Y’all should come to Fort Worth, TX to Northside High school, I have many students who don’t even speak English.” 

Em Dorman, a resident of Aurora who has many undocumented friends, expresses deep fear for their community, stating, “The unpredictability of the raids confirms that no one is safe and that immigrants will continue to be dehumanized.”

I asked Dorman if they had witnessed ICE agents or heard of specific areas where ICE might be prevalent. They said, “There was an ICE spotting off of 8th and Colorado in Denver on January 24, a few days ago, as well as other sightings that people on Instagram have been sharing.” 

While rumors about massive ICE raids have been unpredictable, Dorman urges individuals to educate themselves to be prepared if a situation like this were to occur: “You have constitutional rights. Do not answer any questions; do not sign anything without an attorney. There are resources specifically printed in Spanish and other languages if needed.”

More reports on this to come.

The city of Boulder and its Laundry list of Lawsuits

Feet Forward, et al. v. City of Boulder, et al.

“Blanket Ban” or “Camping Ban,” the city of Boulder was served with a lawsuit from the ACLU, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Americans. The lawsuit challenged a city ordinance that prohibited homeless residents from doing something as basic as sleeping outside with a blanket. The ACLU argued that the camping ban unfairly penalized people participating in basic human activities. Although the city attempted to dismiss the case, the court allowed the litigation to proceed, ruling that penalizing individuals for such basic actions violated constitutional rights. 

Yellow Scene Magazine v. City of Boulder 

Our very own has been caught up in the turmoil with the City of Boulder and its history of police misconduct. The legal dispute began when Yellow Scene requested bodycam footage regarding a recent incident in December of 2023 that involved the fatal shooting of Jeannette Alatorrea. The city of Boulder demanded a fee for this request, which inherently violates Colorado’s 2020 Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act.

Board of County Commissioners of Boulder County v. Suncor

Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil, two of the largest refined oil companies, were sued by the city of Boulder for the impacts of climate change, which disproportionately burden American taxpayers.

City of Boulder v. FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration was sued by the city of Boulder for legal clarity regarding the closure of the Boulder Municipal Airport. The city of Boulder intended to keep the option of opening the airport until 2041, while the FAA claims the airport must remain open indefinitely due to federal grants requiring the airport to stay open. Many citizens raised concerns about the airport remaining open, as its closure could allow the land to be used for more affordable housing for residents.

Ash House Owners Sue City of Boulder 

The Ash House, a student apartment building at CU Boulder, filed a lawsuit against the city of Boulder for forcibly evacuating students last minute due to violations of building extra rooms in the building without the city’s say nor safety precautions taken place. The lawsuit was dismissed in October of 2024. 

Lisa Sweeney-Miran v. City of Boulder

Sweeney-Miran, the executive director of the homeless shelter in Boulder, filed a lawsuit against the city for violating her First Amendment rights, as she was kicked off of the Police Oversight Panel for unequivocally condemning police misconduct that has been plaguing the town for decades.

List of Boulder Police Misconduct 

• John Smyly is an officer who racially profiled a Black man, Zayd Atkinson, who was picking up trash outside of his home. The city of Boulder paid a $125,000 settlement after Atkinson threatened legal action. 
• Waylon Lolotai used excessive force against a Black man, Sammie Lawrence, which resulted in the city of Boulder paying a $95,000 settlement. 
• Dillon Garretson and Stephen Coon unlawfully arrested and handcuffed Seth Franco in retaliation to the court granting him a softer sentence. This led to a $3.4 million jury verdict against the city of Boulder
• Cassie Davick was responsible for the removal of children from the care of Joslynn Montoya, a deaf mother staying at a domestic violence shelter. The situation escalated due to the mother’s inability to effectively communicate her circumstances to the officers.
• Nicholas Frankenreiter, Jacob Vaporis, and Erin Starks – Three officers who shot Coleman Stewart after a cop chase regarding refusal to pay a five-dollar cab fare. The city of Boulder had to pay $1.3 million in settlement 8 years later. 
• Collin Keith and Nathaniel Taylor shot and killed Christopher Swanger in Boulder, Colorado, in May of 2023 as they were responding to a domestic violence call.
• Nathan Schultz and Jarrett Mastriona shot and killed Jeanette Alatorre in Boulder, Colorado, on December 17, 2023, due to her refusing questioning from officers and carrying an airsoft gun. 
• Hiring of Stephen Redfearn – The city of Boulder recently hired Stephen Redfearn as Boulder Police Chief. Redfearn is infamous for justifying and downplaying the actions taken place during the night of the murder of Elijah McClain