GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On Tuesday, multiple Colorado immigrant rights advocates sent a press release demanding that Attorney General Phil Weiser and Governor Jared Polis launch a full investigation into the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and ensure every state agency is in full compliance with Colorado’s laws.
The request comes after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained 19-year-old Caroline Dias Goncalves, a University of Utah student originally from Brazil, following a traffic stop in Fruita, Colorado, completed by MCSO on June 5.
Dias Gonclaves was given a warning during the traffic stop by Investigator Alexander Zwinck, who asked questions about where she was from. It was found through the MCSO investigation that Zwinck shared information about Dias Gonclaves through a multi-agency law enforcement group chat primarily used for drug interdiction. Federal representatives in the group chat allegedly reported the shared information to ICE, resulting in Dias Gonclaves’ detainment.
MCSO notes that the shared information in the group chat contradicted Colorado’s laws, which include:
HB19-1124 (2019): Prohibits local law enforcement from honoring civil immigration detainers without a judicial warrant and bars holding individuals beyond their release time solely for ICE.
SB21-131 (2021): Forbids Colorado government agencies and employees from sharing non-public personal identifying information (PII) for immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.
SB25-276 (2025): Further clarifies that law enforcement cannot share PII for immigration purposes without a judicial warrant.
“We are deeply concerned by reports that a Colorado law enforcement [officer] passed private identifying information to ICE in violation of Colorado law designed to defend our communities. No one should have to live in fear that a routine traffic stop could lead to ICE detention. Now, Caroline and her family are going through unimaginable suffering that could have been prevented if our laws were followed,” said Raquel Lane-Arellano, Communications Manager with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC).
MCSO reiterated in a press release that they were unaware that communication besides drug interdiction was being held in the group chat. Since the investigation, all MCSO officers have been removed from the group chat.
The immigrant rights groups have thanked the MCSO for taking accountability regarding the incident. In the press release, they state, “The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged that they made a mistake, took steps to correct it, and expressed openness to improving their practices. We thank them for making that change and urge them to follow through by collaborating with organizations like CIRC to train their staff on Colorado’s immigration laws and the importance of protecting all residents’ rights.”
However, the immigrant rights groups urge that Dias Gonclaves’ case harms public trust and individuals’ feelings of safety.
“Colorado has taken important steps over the past several years to disentangle local law enforcement from ICE, to ensure that all Coloradans—regardless of immigration status—can feel safe driving, going to school, or seeking help in an emergency,” said Annie Martinez, Litigation Director with the Colorado Center on Law & Policy. “When these laws are ignored, it’s not just a policy failure—it’s a violation of community trust and a threat to public safety.”
“Caroline’s detention sends a chilling message to communities across the state,” said Ricardo Perez, Executive Director of the Hispanic Affairs Project (HAP). “We must make clear that in Colorado, we do not hand our neighbors over to ICE, and we will fight for a state where all of us are safe—no exceptions.”
The immigrant rights advocacy groups that signed the press release include:
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC)
Colorado People’s Alliance (COPA)
Hispanic Affairs Project (HAP)
Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center
Colorado Center on Law and Policy (CCLP)
Movimiento Poder
Together Colorado
Juntos Community
Casa de Paz
La Plaza, Palisade
WesternSlopeNow reached out to Governor Polis for comment regarding Dias Gonclaves’ case.
“It’s deeply disappointing to see that the federal government is not focusing on dangerous criminals, which bipartisan Colorado leaders are calling for, but instead detaining a thriving college student, with no criminal history, who is by all accounts in this country legally. Reports show Ms. Goncalves is a DREAMer and therefore, would be legally allowed to be in our great country. The Governor urges the federal government to immediately release Ms. Goncalves, calls for more transparency into how immigration operations are being conducted in our state, and continues to call on Congress to do their part and pass real immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship and secures the border,” said Shelby Wieman, the Press Secretary for Governor Jared Polis.
Dias Gonclaves is currently detained at an Aurora detention center. She has a pending asylum application, according to her family.
