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Reverend tells Overland council immigrant families fear deportation after local incidents
Summary
Reverend Eric Gravely told the Overland City Council that members of the Latino community are living in fear after what he described as immigration enforcement activity near schools, and urged the council to meet with impacted residents and community groups to address safety and surveillance concerns.
Reverend Eric Gravely told the Overland City Council on April 27 that immigrant families in the city are living in constant fear, citing recent incidents he said involved local law enforcement and U.S. immigration agents.
"People are quietly being disappeared from our neighborhood and ripping families apart," Gravely said during the public-comment period, adding that "rolling a stop sign could send someone back to Guatemala." Gravely, who identified himself as pastor at Harmony United Methodist Church and an active participant in the Overland Business Association and the Ritenour School District, said children are afraid to go to school and residents are reluctant to run routine errands because of enforcement concerns.
Gravely also raised privacy and surveillance worries, saying, "Cameras are installed all around town that share data in ways beyond our control." He urged the council to meet with community members and organizations to hear more details and to discuss possible responses.
The remarks followed the council's procedural business; the meeting record shows no council motion or immediate policy response to Gravely's request. Gravely invited council members to visit the Julie Hahn Center for International Learners as an example of successful community integration and said he hoped the council would hold a follow-up conversation in the coming month.
The council concluded the public-comment period and proceeded to administer oaths of office and approve several appointments before adjourning. The mayor and other members did not state a timetable for any staff follow-up on the issues Gravely raised.
Gravely's account included allegations of enforcement activity near Ritenour Middle School; the meeting transcript records his claim but provides no confirming materials or responses from law enforcement or school officials during this session. The council did not take formal action on enforcement or surveillance at the meeting.
