Residents raise concerns about possible ICE facility, road safety and broken cameras at Huerfano County meeting

Several residents used the public-comment period at the Huerfano County commissioners meeting to raise concerns about a possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility, county oversight options, and local safety problems.

TJ Bunker, who identified himself as Good Citizen Media and as a local resident, told the board he had emailed details and said there are security concerns tied to staff departures in the sheriff’s office and that cameras at a Department of Human Services facility "haven't worked there for over a year." Bunker asked county leaders to follow up on those issues.

Marguerite Schreiber, a resident of Navajo, asked the board about road safety on County Road 510, saying "there's no lines in the middle" and asking what residents should do to get the road restriped and whether a streetlight could be installed at the 510 entrance. Commissioners said they would raise striping at an upcoming Transportation Planning Region meeting with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and that the county would pursue striping; they cautioned that installation of a streetlight may require coordination with CDOT and other agencies.

Multiple speakers raised concerns about ICE detention facilities being located in the county and used the words "concentration camps" in their remarks. D. May Sandoval and Paula Pitia David expressed strong concern about the potential of detention centers in Huerfano County and asked the board to pursue state-level action or local protections. Daniel (last name not specified) and other commenters alleged federal facilities may block outside oversight.

Kristen McCall, participating by phone, told the board counties and cities can opt out of intergovernmental service agreements and described the IGSAs as a mechanism relevant to local decision-making. "Counties and cities have the choice to opt out of... intergovernmental service agreements," McCall said. In response, a commissioner said he was not familiar with the specific statute and that he would "have to look into that." Another commissioner responded to an allegation of existing facilities by saying, "I know of no concentration camp," and several commissioners described the county's authority over the issue as limited.

No formal action or policy change on ICE facilities, IGSAs, road striping or DHS camera repairs was taken at the meeting. Commissioners said they would take public comments under advisement and staff would look into the legal and procedural questions raised by commenters, including whether an IGSA applies in any particular circumstance and whether CDOT coordination is required for road or lighting work.