As an immigration enforcement operation took over an apartment complex in Denver, residents expressed fear and panic
Sweeping immigration enforcement operations were carried out in several locations in the Denver metro area on Wednesday, with federal agents detaining several people.
A busted door and black marks were left behind from a device heavily armed federal agents used to enter a woman's apartment in the morning in Denver.
The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, says agents took her partner and busted through her unit at the Cedar Run apartment complex without a warrant, claiming they got the wrong apartment.
"They took him saying he was here illegally," she said in Spanish.
According to another resident, Ronald, recently there has been a lot of drug activity in and around the complex, including a couple of deaths from drug overdoses.
"They know what they came for, but then (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) starts circling the area and begins asking people if they have legal documentation to be here, and that's taking advantage of the situation," Ronald said in Spanish.
Across the street from the apartment complex, longtime business Viva Burrito feels the effects firsthand. Staff there say business has declined, and people are not confident stepping out. However, what concerns them most is the fear among local families.
CBS Colorado reporter Jasmine Arenas asked Alice, an employee at Viva Burrito, "What are you most scared of?"
"Unfortunately, there are a lot of people with kids here, and they are the first ones who get scared," said Alice from Viva Burrito.
Kids like 6-year-old Antwan missed school on Wednesday due to the operation.
"My mom said I couldn't go to school because they are going to deport us to Venezuela," Antwan said in Spanish.
Adding to the surreal feeling, Antwan described the chaos: "My mom told me to go back to sleep, but she heard things exploding."
"How do you feel knowing that this happened here?" Arenas asked.
"Bad, because I heard a lot of explosives," Antwan replied.
Community members say they are in shock after the action, and the woman who chose to remain anonymous says she's now left to figure out what's next.
