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Residents and council spar over possible ICE use of Pueblo Memorial Airport after staff outreach
Summary
At public comment, residents and councilors raised concerns that a city aviation official reached out to connect a private fixed-base operator with contacts at a proposed Walsenburg detention facility, prompting calls for measures to discourage ICE flights and for clarity about whether the official acted on the city's behalf.
Susie Jade, representing a coalition of local organizations, told the Pueblo City Council that a Sept. 4 email from Pueblo Memorial Airport director Greg Perdoza sought to connect a proposed detention facility contact in Walsenburg with Freeman Jet Center, a private airport services company, to discuss providing transportation services for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flights. "We do not want our tax dollars used to facilitate the transportation of people unlawfully detained," Jade said, asking the council to make clear that any such outreach is not the city’s policy.
Heather Barton, another resident in public comment, said allowing ICE flights would turn the small community airport into "a departure point for trauma" and urged council to protect families and the city's reputation. Speaker testimony cited national reports of abusive treatment in ICE custody and urged local leaders to prevent their airfield from being used for deportation operations.
Councilors and the mayor responded with a mix of legal caution and policy interest. Councilor Dennis Flores said he would draft a resolution declaring the city will not be a party to transportation agreements tied to a for-profit detention operator and said the city must avoid contracts with entities associated with CoreCivic. Council discussion repeatedly noted limits on local authority: staff and council members said the federal government can use airport facilities irrespective of local preference, though the city can consider measures that would make the airport less convenient for such operations.
City staff told the council that there is no legal way to prevent ICE from using the airport, because the agency can access federal airports when necessary, but that the council can explore noncontractual steps that could influence operational decisions or make the airport less attractive for such uses. The council did not take immediate action; several members said they want further information about what communications occurred and whether any official outreach represented the city position.
Next steps: Councilors asked staff to return with additional facts and options the city could lawfully pursue to express its position and to protect community interests.
