Colorado SunFest: Immigration Policy Local v. Federal
The Colorado Sun welcomes thought leaders to Colorado Sunfest 2025, Friday, May 16th, 2025. Tickets available at coloradosun.com.
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When: 1:15-2:15 p.m.
Where: Room TBD, University of Denver
Dive into the tumultuous topic of immigration with experts on both sides of the political spectrum.
Panelists include Raquel Lane-Arellano with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, Jordan Garcia with the American Friends Service Committee, and Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell.
Lane-Arellano is an outspoken activist for immigrant rights, including fighting Trump administration policy that allows the IRS to share addresses with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Garcia is among the main forces working to free beloved activist Jeanette Vizguerra, who once lived in a Denver church to avoid deportation but was picked up by ICE in March outside her job at Target.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Mikesell is well-known for making it easier for local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials, including by holding immigrants in his jail until ICE can pick them up.
Moderator: Jennifer Brown, Human Services & Government Reporter
Jordan T. Garcia
program director for American Friends Service Committee Colorado’s Immigrant Rights Program
Jordan is in his 18th year with AFSC and facilitates a dynamic group of leaders, Coloradans For Immigrant Rights.
Jordan has served as the chair of the board of directors for the Colorado Anti-Violence Program, later called Survivors Organizing for Liberation, which worked to end violence within and against the LGBTQ community and he was a co founder of the Luz Reproductive Justice Think Tank.
Jordan co-founded and operated the Underground Syringe Exchange Denver and is a national Non Violent Direct Action trainer for the Ruckus Society, the Indigenous People’s Power Project and Green Peace USA.
Raquel-Lane Arellano
communications manager for Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
Raquel Lane-Arellano is the Communications Manager for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC).
Born and raised in Denver, Raquel is the proud daughter of working class parents and a first-generation college graduate and graduated from Stanford University in 2017 with a BA in Chicanx/Latinx studies.
Jason Mikesell
Teller County Sheriff
Over two decades ago, Jason began his life as a peace officer in Park County, Colorado and eventually transferred over to neighboring Teller County where he worked on the SWAT Team and served as Commander in charge of the detentions facility, the Commander of Operations, and the Commander of the SWAT Team.
Prior to becoming Sheriff, Jason served as Chief of Police. He has trained active duty Special Forces Group throughout each branch of military services and has specialized training to the country’s law enforcement officials at every level from local to federal.
Join the conversation with on social media with the hashtag #SunFest2025.
