Faith leaders and community members sue Colorado town of Hudson in effort to block planned ICE detention center
The town of Hudson is now facing a lawsuit over plans to open an ICE detention center in the eastern Colorado town. The GEO Group, which already runs a detention center in Aurora, announced plans last week to open another inside a prison that closed in 2013.
This lawsuit was filed by a Hudson resident and a group of faith leaders who are part of the community organization Together Colorado.
That includes Reverend Ben Konecny from the First Congregational Church in Greeley. He says his faith brought him out to Hudson Thursday.
"Faith without works is dead, as the Epistle of James says," said Konecny. "It is easier to turn a blind eye to what is happening right now. It is easier to buy into some of these bites, and to be comfortable knowing that my status is pretty safe in our country. But my status as a Christian is dependent on me raising my voice in moments like this."
Konecny and his peers at Together Colorado said in a news conference on Thursday that they are "simply asking Hudson to do what it is obligated and has the authority to do."
Ten days ago, town officials said in a post on Facebook that the town does not have approval authority over federal immigration detention operations at a private facility but that they do have authority over local services.
The lawsuit claims the town is not helpless in regulating the facility, which is to be called the Big Horn Facility. They claim under Colorado law, Hudson has the authority and obligation to treat the proposed facility the way it would treat any other new facility: primarily by enforcing its own land development code. They claim the property is not zoned for use as a detention facility. The property has not been zoned since 2008, and given its long vacancy, the plaintiffs believe it must go through the zoning process again.
"We're not asking in this case, for GEO and ICE to be treated with special disfavor, right. All that we're asking is that they are not given preferential treatment," said David Seligman, an attorney who represents Together Colorado.
Konecny says he has lived in Weld County for 15 years and having this facility near his community doesn't sit well with him. He understands some in his community might have a difference of opinion, but he hopes the town will try harder to regulate the facility than they have so far.
"My hope is by saying this is an imperative for me as a person of faith, that others might feel that it is the case for them as well," said Konecny.
In response to a CBS Colorado request for comment about the lawsuit, the Hudson town manager wrote in part "the town's role is not to determine immigration enforcement" and added "the town remains committed to focusing on its roles at the local level such as water, wastewater, streets and public safety."
Hudson is located in Weld County 34 miles northeast of Denver.
