Colorado local officials say they can't stop planned ICE detention center in Hudson

Hudson town leaders say they do not have the legal authority to stop a planned federal immigration detention center from opening, despite calls from protesters urging them to do more.

They packed Hudson's town council meeting Wednesday evening, which stopped briefly after protestors outside started banging on windows.  

The meeting comes after GEO Group announced it had signed a five-year agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to reopen the long-shuttered Big Horn Correctional Facility as an ICE detention center.

Outside the town hall, dozens of protesters gathered before the meeting, arguing the town should pursue every possible legal avenue to prevent the facility from opening.

"We have to act fast and give it all that we've got to make sure that we get heard," community organizer Jennifer Montes said.

Before public comment began, town officials emphasized that the council was not voting on the detention center and does not expect to have authority over the project.

"The town of Hudson is not party to that agreement, does not own or operate the facility, and does not have authority to approve, deny or overturn a decision made under federal authority," a council member said during the meeting.

The detention center was not on Tuesday night's agenda, but the public was able to speak about non-agenda items. 

Hudson leaders said they are still waiting for information from GEO and federal officials about the facility's timeline, staffing levels, traffic, utility demands and emergency response needs.

They said the town has expanded its police department, increased fire and EMS capabilities and updated its water and wastewater plans since the prison closed in 2014.

Protesters say Hudson leaders should not simply accept that its hands are tied.

Montes said the town should meet with attorneys representing opponents of the project to determine whether any local legal authority exists that could delay or stop the detention center.

"I hope that they at least give the legal team an opportunity to sit down and go over options, just so that we know that they at least tried instead of just sitting back and letting something like this enter our community," Montes said.

Protestors also say they believe the town should publicly discuss potential legal strategies. 

"I don't feel like they're hearing the community," Montes said. "We would like to have attorneys sit down with their town attorney and just go over options and what they know and what they could do."

Officials said they will continue working to obtain verified information from GEO and federal agencies as planning moves forward.

Organizers say they plan to continue pushing the town to explore every available legal option before the facility begins operating.