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Colorado Leaders Unite to Welcome Home El Gamal Family; Condemn ICE Overreach and Detention

More than 100 sign statement of solidarity; call for unity in resisting ICE’s abuses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Isabel Watson, 612.300.8448, iwatson@workingfamilies.org

DENVER (May 5, 2026) –Today, a broad coalition of community leaders, elected officials, and organizations across Colorado released a joint public statement welcoming home the El Gamal family and condemning their lengthy and harmful detention by federal immigration authorities. It also lifts up the united front formed after the June 1, 2025, antisemitic firebombing on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, and recommits to efforts to combat antisemitism, xenophobia, and other forms of hatred. Together, the signers insist on bringing understanding, not division, in advocating for the El Gamal family.

The statement reads as follows:

Last year, in a powerful show of solidarity in the wake of the June 1st antisemitic firebombing on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, over one hundred of Colorado’s Jewish and immigrant rights leaders came together to oppose cynical attempts by the Trump administration to turn us against each other. We are proud of the way Coloradans rose both to support those directly harmed by the attack — who we wish continued healing and peace — and to defend those who were targeted after, and we remain committed to efforts to confront antisemitism, xenophobia, and all other forms of hate.

Now, we as community leaders in Colorado are coming together once more to celebrate the release of the El Gamal family, who were not involved in the attack, but were abducted by ICE in response to it anyway. United as one, we also condemn the lengthy imprisonment and cruel mistreatment – including denial of needed medical care – the family endured in a privatized immigrant detention center in Texas.

In Colorado, we know that hurting innocent people does nothing to heal anyone’s pain –it actually just harms all of us even more. We know that what is truly healing is the polar opposite: coming together, across our differences, to learn, build, mourn and find joy with one another. This is who we are at our best, and why we will continue to strenuously resist all efforts to divide us and pit us against one another.

Together, we say ‘welcome home’ to the El Gamal family, as they finally are able to return to Colorado. They belong here, and with a clear and united voice, we call for federal immigration authorities to cease their persecution of this family and leave both them and our broader communities in peace.

The statement remains open for additional signatures, and the signer list will continue to be updated here. Current signers include immigrant rights advocacy organizations, rabbis, unions, and many notable elected and community leaders. To date, the signers of the letter include:

Organizations:

• American Friends Service Committee, Colorado
• Boulder County Immigrant Partnership Team
• Boulder Progressives
• Broomfield Resettlement Task Force
• Casa de Paz
• Colorado Black Women for Political Action
• Colorado Common Cause
• Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
• Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
• Colorado Working Families Party
• Colorado Young Democrats
• Denver Immigrant Partnership Team
• Colorado WINS
• CWA Local 7799
• Denver Justice Project
• Eagle County Young Democrats
• Edgewater Collective
• League of Women Voters of Boulder County
• Mi Familia Vota Colorado
• New Era Colorado Action Fund
• Paonia Immigration Partnership Team
• San Luis Valley Immigrant Partnership Team
• SEIU 105
• SEIU Colorado
• Together Colorado
• United for a New Economy

Community Leaders:

• Hon. John Alge, Thornton City Council
• Senator Judy Amabile
• Rabbi Caryn Aviv
• Hon. Scott Baldermann, former Denver School Board Director
• Senator Matt Ball
• Alejandra Beatty
• Irene Bonham
• Jed Brown
• Gabriel Cervantes
• Hon. Alison Coombs, Aurora City Council
• Hon. Isabel Cruz, Lakewood City Council
• Senator Lisa Cutter
• Chris Davis
• Representative Regina English
• Camila Espinosa
• Hon. Scott Esserman, former Denver School Board Director
• Ev Evnen, Student Hazzan
• Chela García Irlando
• Hon. Hannah Gay Keao, Edgewater City Council
• Hon. Xóchitl Gaytán, Denver School Board
• Representative Lori Goldstein
• Senator Julie Gonzales
• Hon. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Denver City Council
• Hon. Amanda Gonzalez, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder
• Karen Good
• Sherry Graham
• Rabbi Cantor Kim Harris, Congregation B’nai Chaim
• Hon. Heidi Henkel, Broomfield City Council
• Dr. Alexis Hoffkling
• Carol Hoffman
• Hon. Edie Hooton, former State Representative
• Zuri Horowitz
• Wynn Howell
• Beth Irtz
• Representative Jamie Jackson
• Senator Iman Jodeh
• Representative Junie Joseph
• Hon. Jenn Kaaoush, Superior City Council
• Hon. Anne Keke, Aurora School Board
• Jade Kelly
• Acasha Kerr
• Senator Cathy Kipp
• Kubs Lalchandani
• Hon. Shontel M. Lewis, Denver City Council
• Hon. Claire Levy, Boulder County Commission
• Monique Lovato
• Kathy Love
• Jennifer Lowe
• Andrea Loya
• Representative Javier Mabrey
• Zachary Mangold
• Hon. Juan Marcano, former Aurora City Councilmember
• Hannah Meisels
• Julie Meyers
• Mark A. Miller
• Diane Moore
• Anne Murdaugh
• Linda Nabours
• Ruth Neil
• Kim Netherton
• Representative Kenny Nguyen
• Hon. Sarah Parady, Denver City Council
• Rabbi Iah Pillsbury, Temple Beit Torah
• Hin. Emma Pinter, Adams County Commission
• Kathy Rendon
• Hon. Joseph Salazar, former State Representative
• Justine Sandoval
• Jamie Sarche
• Jovita Schiffer
• David Seligman
• Jeri Shepherd
• Stacey Shigaya
• Hon. Jonathan Singer, former State Representative
• Representative Emily Sirota
• Stacy Sloan
• Murray Smith
• Hon. Nicole Speer, Boulder City Council
• Hon. Ilana Spiegel, CU Board of Regents
• Hon. Ashley Stolzmann, Boulder County Commission
• Jon Stout
• Ben Sweet
• Jeanine Ten Broeck
• Representative Brianna Titone
• Monica VanBuskirk
• Representative Elizabeth Velasco
• Denys Vigil
• Hon. Steph Vigil, former State Representative
• Senator Mike Weissman
• Chandra Wilkins
• Representative Steven Woodrow
• Representative Yara Zokaie

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The post Colorado Leaders Unite to Welcome Home El Gamal Family; Condemn ICE Overreach and Detention appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Demanding candidates and media outlets act with integrity and respect towards all community members. Full statement attached.

“As a bi-partisan coalition of Black elected officials, community leaders, and organizations, we stand together to condemn the blatant anti-Blackness that has been pervasive in the 2023 municipal elections in Denver. Including white candidates, independent expenditure committees, and local affiliates of national public broadcast networks. We have witnessed the following behavior that is concerning and must be called out:

• The media’s portrayal of Black candidates in this election season has been unbalanced, unfair, and harmful. More specifically, Black women have been scrutinized for their appearance, tone, and demeanor, while their accomplishments and leadership are overlooked and minimized. This harmful stereotype is used to discredit and invalidate their vast experiences, unique perspectives, and human emotions, particularly when they speak out against injustice.
• We have seen propaganda that promotes segregationist messaging and seeks to dehumanize the Black vote. This type of messaging is reminiscent of the Jim Crow South, where racist policies and practices were used to disenfranchise and marginalize Black people. We find this type of behavior to be unacceptable and demand that all candidates disavow and cease such tactics.
• We have seen commercials and ads that intentionally perpetuate harmful and racist stereotypes of people of color, particularly Black people, portrayed as criminals and undesirables. This perpetuation of negative imagery is not only inaccurate but also perpetuates a dangerous and dehumanizing narrative about our community. While we are grateful this has been called out, we are also concerned that these ads continue to be broadcast across the city and county of Denver.
• Black candidates have also been excluded from forums and debates, preventing them from fully participating in the democratic process. This exclusion is a form of voter suppression and is unacceptable in a free and fair election. We must ensure that all voices are heard and represented in the electoral process.

We must recognize that these actions are not isolated incidents but are part of a long history of systemic racism and oppression against Black people in the United States. The legacy of Jim Crow laws and policies is still felt today in our communities, and we must work to dismantle the systemic racism and oppression that still exists.

We demand that all candidates, media outlets, and individuals involved in the electoral process act with integrity, respect, and dignity towards all members of our community and that they commit to addressing and dismantling systemic racism and oppression in our society. We must come together to create a future where anti-Blackness is no longer tolerated or accepted.

In conclusion, we will not stand idly by and watch as our community is subjected to such hateful and discriminatory treatment. We call on all Denverites to cease and desist from engaging in such behavior and instead focus on meaningful and constructive policy discussions that benefit all members of the community.

We also call on media outlets to act responsibly and ethically and to refrain from perpetuating harmful racial stereotypes. We demand that all candidates and media outlets commit to promoting an inclusive and diverse democracy that works towards the betterment of all members of our community.

We urge all voters to join us in standing against anti-Blackness. It is time for us to come together as a community and work towards a future where we can all live in a just and equitable society, free from the harmful effects of systemic racism and oppression.

We are committed to continuing the fight against anti-Blackness and to working towards a better future for all members of our community. We will not rest until justice and equity is achieved for all.

In Solidarity,

Wanda James, University of Colorado Regent, District 1

James Coleman, Colorado State Senator

Jennifer Bacon, Colorado State Representative

Naquetta Ricks, Colorado State Representative

Regina English, Colorado State Representative, and Harrison School District Two Board Member

Auon’tai Anderson, President – Colorado Black Caucus of School Board Directors

Corey Williams, President – Harrison School District Two

Will Jones, Vice President – Mesa County School District 51

Stephanie Mason, Vice President – Aurora Public Schools

JJ Frazier, Vice President – Harrison School District Two

Janice McDonald, Vice President – Cherry Creek School District

Michelle Quattlebaum, Denver School Board Director District 4

Michael Carter, Aurora School Board Director

Darlene Derbigny, East Otero School Board Director

brother jeff – Founder/Director brother jeff’s Cultural Center

MiDian Z. Holmes – Owner/Founder, 8PM Consulting for Humanity

Hashim Coates, Interim Chair – African Diaspora Initiative of the Colorado Democratic Party

Sondra Young, President – NAACP Denver

Shenika Carter, President & CEO – Urban League of Metro Denver

Ashlee Wedgeworth – President- Urban League Young Professionals of Metro Denver

Candice Bailey – Colorado State Commissioner and Founder/Executive Director Light Carrier

Bianka Emerson, President – Colorado Black Women for Political Action

Khadija Haynes – CEO, K-Solutions

Vernon Jones Jr. – Faithbridge

Gene Fashaw, Educator

Photo caption: Screenshot of Denver Decides Mayoral Forum, Denver 7ABC, February 2023

The post A coalition of bi-partisan Black leaders in Denver stands together to condemn anti-Blackness in the 2023 municipal elections. appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.