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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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Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

HB25-1149 standardizes Black American history taught in Colorado’s public schools
DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed into law legislation to establish statewide Black history education standards in Colorado’s public K-12 schools.

HB25-1149, sponsored by Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs, and Senator Tony Exum, Sr., D-Colorado Springs, requires the Colorado Department of Education to develop a standard K-12 curriculum for Black history and cultural studies with support from a 17-member advisory committee.

“Black history is American history, and without a comprehensive Black history curriculum in our public schools, students aren’t receiving the full scope of achievements and contributions of Black Americans,” said English. “We can help our students achieve a well-rounded education by developing and standardizing a comprehensive Black history curriculum in Colorado’s public schools. From politics to engineering, Black Americans’ contributions to society are vast. Our law helps ensure that students learn about the influential Black leaders who changed the course of history and our nation.”

“Here in Colorado, we understand the importance of teaching a full, honest history – one that recognizes the achievements, contributions, and experiences of Black Americans,” said Exum. “Implementing a standardized Black history curriculum in our public schools ensures that students of all races and backgrounds receive a more complete education that prepares them to be informed, engaged citizens and honors the extensive contributions of Black Americans in shaping our state and nation.”

Once approved by the Colorado Board of Education, public K-12 schools will have to adopt the new Black history education standards into their curriculum as part of the state’s social studies standards revision cycle, which concludes in 2028.
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