Latest news with #CarolineDiasGoncalves
CBS News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Western Colorado sheriff asks state attorney general to dismiss lawsuit against his deputy after ICE detainment following traffic stop
The Mesa County Sheriff announced this week that disciplinary action has been taken in connection to a western Colorado traffic stop last month in which a college student who was pulled over by one of his deputies was later detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell apologized for the incident and is now asking that Colorado's attorney general dismiss a lawsuit filed against the deputy. On June 5, Deputy Alexander Zwinck pulled over Caroline Dias Goncalves for allegedly following another vehicle too closely and he let her go with a warning. Zwinck reportedly shared the personal information of Dias Goncalves, who is originally from Brazil, in a Signal chat, which included ICE officials, leading to her later detainment by ICE agents. Dias Goncalves was detained for more than 2 weeks by ICE and then released and, according to Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, described the experience as "the worst experience of her life." Colorado law places limits on the information local law enforcement officials can provide to federal immigration agents. As a result of the incident, two deputies and a sergeant received unpaid leave and the sheriff's office discontinued use of the chat. The deputy who made the stop was placed on three weeks of unpaid administrative leave and will also be removed from his assignment on the Western Colorado Task Force and will be reassigned to patrol. Rowell stated in his plea to Weiser, who filed the suit, that although the deputy's actions were illegal, his department should handle this with internal training and discipline. Rowell said Weiser was aware of the department's administrative review process and the agency should have been allowed to take corrective actions. "The Administrative Review of events which led to Miss Dias-Goncalves' detainment has been a meticulous process. Our ultimate goal has been to identify potential training, supervision, and policy failures within our Agency to rectify them through thoughtful and well-informed revisions. It is for this reason that I am deeply disappointed in Attorney General Phil Weiser's choice to announce his lawsuit against Deputy Zwinck prior to the completion of our investigation and prior to the determination of internal discipline," Rowell stated. Also on Wednesday, the Colorado State Patrol announced it has discontinued use of that same Signal chat, which includes local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Authorities said the encrypted chat was intended to help law enforcement collaborate on drug enforcement in the state. CSP said it no longer shares information in the Signal chat because of "an apparent lack of shared purpose among all agencies on the platform." "For the Patrol, our use was for operations targeting the combat of drug trafficking and organized crime; other organizations may have different priorities and goals," the agency explained. The sheriff said CSP troopers and other law enforcement officers in the Signal chat routinely behaved similarly to Zwinck, a claim which CSP said is misinformed and premature. Rowell claimed the lawsuit is unfairly singling out Zwinck to make an example of him. Rowell's statement on the administrative review was as follows: "The Mesa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) has well-established practices limiting our involvement in immigration enforcement. However, the Administrative Review conducted in response to Miss Dias-Goncalves' detainment highlighted the need for enhanced training and clarification of evolving legal responsibilities under Colorado Senate Bill 25-276, which had been signed into law 13 days prior to this stop. ... As Sheriff, I take seriously our duty to ensure Deputies remain informed of legal changes impacting our operations. Based on our findings, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office should not have had any role in the chain of events leading to Miss Dias-Goncalves's detention, and I regret that this occurred. I apologize to Miss Dias-Goncalves."
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Utah College Student Says ICE Agent Who Detained Her 'Knew It Wasn't Right'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A 19-year-old student at the University of Utah says the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who detained her repeatedly apologized and "knew it wasn't right," but his "hands were tied." Caroline Dias Goncalves was pulled over by police in Fruita, Colorado, on June 5 on the way to Denver. Shortly after being let go by the officer, Dias Goncalves was stopped again a few miles away in Grand Junction—this time by immigration agents. "He kept apologizing and told me he wanted to let me go, but his 'hands were tied.' There was nothing he could do, even though he knew it wasn't right. I want you to know—I forgive you," Dias Goncalves said in a statement. An undated photo from a GoFundMe campaign for Caroline Dias Goncalves, who was pulled over by police in Fruita, Colorado, on June 5. An undated photo from a GoFundMe campaign for Caroline Dias Goncalves, who was pulled over by police in Fruita, Colorado, on June 5. GoFundMe Why It Matters Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has overseen a hard-line crackdown on immigration. Under the Trump administration, ICE has ramped up arrests across the country. The White House has maintained that anyone living in the country illegally is considered a criminal. What To Know An officer in Fruita stopped Dias Goncalves for allegedly following a semitruck too closely. After she presented her driver's license, the officer questioned its authenticity and asked about her background, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. Body camera footage showed that during the encounter, the officer asked: "Where are you from? You have a bit of an accent." "I'm from Utah," Dias Goncalves said. The officer then asked if she had been born and raised there. "No," she said after a pause. "I was born in—gosh. I always forget the town ... down in Brazil." "My parents moved here," she added. The officer let Dias Goncalves go with a warning, but ICE agents later stopped and detained her. She was taken into custody and transferred to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility near Denver. On June 18, a judge ordered her release from ICE custody. "The past 15 days have been the hardest of my life. I was scared and felt alone," Dias Goncalves said in a statement following her release. "I was placed in a system that treated me like I didn't matter. In detention, we were given soggy, wet food—even the bread would come wet. We were kept on confusing schedules," she continued. Dias Goncalves added: "The moment they realized I spoke English, I saw a change. Suddenly, I was treated better than others who didn't speak English. That broke my heart. Because no one deserves to be treated like that. Not in a country that I've called home since I was 7 years old and is all I've ever known." What People Are Saying Caroline Dias Goncalves said in a statement: "I hope no one else has to go through what I did. But I know that right now, over 1,300 people are still in that same nightmare in that Aurora detention facility. They are just like me—including other people who've grown up here, who love this country, who want nothing more than a chance to belong. ... "Immigrants like me—we're not asking for anything special. Just a fair chance to adjust our status, to feel safe, and to keep building the lives we've worked so hard for in the country we call home." Gaby Pacheco, the president and CEO of said in a statement: "Instead of more detentions, and deportations, America's interests and values are better served by delivering education and legal status for Caroline and other Dreamers." Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security's assistant secretary for public affairs, told Newsweek: "Caroline Dias-Goncalves, an illegal alien from Brazil, was arrested by ICE on June 5, 2025. Her visa expired over a decade ago." The Mesa County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on June 16: "The traffic contact occurred on Interstate 70 outside of Loma, Colorado, and lasted less than 20 minutes. Miss Dias Goncalves was released from the traffic stop with a warning. In accordance with Colorado law, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office does not investigate residency status during any law enforcement interactions."
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mesa County Sheriff's Office addresses ICE use of drug, traffic stop information
DENVER (KDVR) — The Mesa County Sheriff's Office says that it was not involved with immigration enforcement efforts after learning that a 'communication group' that included some of the agency's deputies may have been used for immigration purposes. The information included in the group was intended for drug interdiction and anti-drug trafficking efforts, according to the sheriff's office, but instead was allegedly used by federal representatives to 'extrapolate immigration information for the purposes of ICE enforcement.' DOJ sues Colorado, Denver for so-called 'sanctuary laws' Local law enforcement, including county and state peace officers, are prevented under Colorado law from working with ICE, or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, for the purpose of civil immigration detainers. In May, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit challenging Colorado's laws restricting law enforcement from working with federal officers for civil immigration detainers. On Monday, the agency said that on June 5, a Mesa County Sheriff's Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black sedan on Interstate 70 outside of Loma. The office released redacted body-worn camera footage of the traffic stop on Monday, showing that the interaction lasted about 19 minutes and that the driver, Caroline Dias Goncalves, was released from the stop with a written warning. According to reporting by the Salt Lake Tribune, Dias Goncalves is a 19-year-old University of Utah student and is now being held by ICE at the Aurora contract detention facility run by the GEO Group. 'In accordance with Colorado law, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office does not investigate residency status during any law enforcement interactions,' the Mesa County Sheriff's Office stated. 'Our Deputy was part of a communication group that included local, state, and federal law enforcement partners participating in a multi-agency drug interdiction effort focusing on the highways throughout Western Colorado. We were unaware that the communication group was used for anything other than drug interdiction efforts, including immigration.' The sheriff's office said that since this incident, all members of the sheriff's office have been removed from the communication group. An administrative investigation showed that the federal representatives in the group had begun using the materials collected for drug trafficking efforts for immigration arrests, which the sheriff's office said is 'contradictory to Colorado law.' The footage of the Mesa County Sheriff's Office traffic stop was posted online on Monday evening. Dias Goncalves can be heard telling the officer that she's been living in Utah for over a decade, but was born in Brazil. Trump directs ICE to expand deportations in 'sanctuary cities' on the heels of 'No Kings' protests She told the officer she was visiting her boyfriend, and the officer told her to be more careful when driving near semitrailers. He had initially pulled her over for cutting off a big rig, leading it to have to engage its brakes. 'We would like to reiterate that we were unaware that the communication group was used for anything other than drug interdiction efforts and that we have since removed all Mesa County Sheriff's Office members from the communication group,' the Mesa County Sheriff's Office stated. 'We will continue our coordination on drug interdiction efforts with our state and federal and state partners within Colorado law.' On Tuesday, FOX31's Nexstar partner station in Grand Junction learned of immigrant rights groups that were calling for deeper scrutiny of the matter. '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, in a press release. The Grand Junction station also reached out to the Colorado Governor's Office for comment regarding Dias Goncalves' 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 a governor's office public information officer. On Sunday, President Donald Trump directed federal immigration officers to prioritize deportation in Democratic-run cities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
Teen detained by ICE after traffic stop describes ‘nightmare' conditions in Aurora facility
DENVER (KDVR) — A teenager detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on June 5 is now free and speaking out about the conditions she faced while in the Aurora contract facility. Caroline Dias Goncalves, 19, of Utah, was pulled over on June 5 after a Mesa County deputy witnessed her pulling in front of a semitruck, causing the driver to have to use their brakes. Goncalves was released with a written warning from the traffic stop. She also told the deputy during the traffic stop that she's been living in Utah for over a decade, but was born in Brazil. Mesa County Sheriff's Office addresses ICE use of drug, traffic stop information Shortly after the traffic stop, Goncalves was detained by ICE agents and taken to ICE's contract detention facility in Aurora, run by the GEO Group. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office said that it had deputies included in a 'communication group' that also included federal law enforcement. The group was intended to be used for drug interdiction efforts. On Friday, a 19-year-old University of Utah student and scholar was released from the Aurora facility after posting bond. On Monday, she released a statement detailing the 15 days of confinement that she endured after she was detained. Goncalves said the 15 days in ICE detention were the 'hardest of my life,' and said she felt scared and alone while inside. 'I was placed in a system that treated me like I didn't matter. In detention, we were given soggy, wet food – even the bread would come wet,' Goncalves wrote. 'We were kept on confusing schedules. And the moment they realized I spoke English, I saw a change. Suddenly, I was treated better than others who didn't speak English. That broke my heart. Because no one deserves to be treated like that. Not in a country that I've called home since I was 7 years old and is all I've ever known.' The 19-year-old thanked her friends and family for fighting for her release, as well as organizations and senators who made calls on her behalf. 'And even to the ICE officer who detained me — he kept apologizing and told me he wanted to let me go, but his 'hands were tied,'' Goncalves wrote. 'There was nothing he could do, even though he knew it wasn't right. I want you to know—I forgive you. Because I believe that people can make better choices when they're allowed to.' She said that she hopes no one else has to endure the same conditions, but noted that there are over 1,300 people inside the Aurora GEO Group facility facing 'that same nightmare.' 'They are just like me — including other people who've grown up here, who love this country, who want nothing more than a chance to belong,' Goncalves wrote. Gaby Pacheco, CEO and President of said that Goncalves' detention was likely illegal, and called the matter 'not just a policy failure. It is a moral one.' Anti-ICE slogan posted on construction sign in Denver 'We are hurting our nation—and our very soul—when we target immigrant youth this way. One traffic stop. One unlawful arrest. And a lifetime of trauma. Enough is enough,' Pacheco said. Pacheco noted that Goncalves' detention drew headlines from around the U.S. Goncalves said she is now focusing on moving forward from the incident, but won't forget the matter. 'Immigrants like me—we're not asking for anything special. Just a fair chance to adjust our status, to feel safe, and to keep building the lives we've worked so hard for in the country we call home,' Goncalves wrote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Nursing student, 19, held by ICE after traffic stop makes surprising revelation about deputy who detained her
A 19-year-old nursing student whose detention by ICE following a routine traffic stop has stunned supporters by expressing forgiveness, and even gratitude, towards the sheriff's deputy who detained her. Caroline Dias Goncalves, a University of Utah scholarship recipient and one of 2.5 million undocumented Dreamers living in the US, was pulled over June 5 on a stretch of Interstate 70 in Loma, Colorado. The stop, initiated for following a semi-truck too closely, Goncalves hand over all of her documentation and paperwork and ended with a cordial conversation - but it spiraled into a 15-day nightmare that saw her locked in an ICE detention facility, fearing she might never see her family again. Now free after a judge ordered her release on June 18, Goncalves has released a powerful public statement. And in a twist that has left many stunned, she thanked the very deputy whose actions helped lead to her arrest - Investigator Alexander Zwinck of the Mesa County Sheriff's Office. 'Even to the ICE officer who detained me… he kept apologizing and told me he wanted to let me go, but his hands were tied. There was nothing he could do, even though he knew it wasn't right,' Goncalves wrote. 'I want you to know - I forgive you. Because I believe that people can make better choices when they're allowed to.' Body camera footage reviewed by showed Zwinck pulling Goncalves over and issuing her a warning. During the encounter, he casually asked about her background: 'Where are you from? You have a bit of an accent.' 'I'm from Utah,' she responded, cautiously. Zwinck then asked if she had been born and raised there. 'No,' she admitted, after a pause. 'I was born in - gosh, I always forget the town… down in Brazil.' 'My parents moved here,' she added. The officer appeared unfazed by her answer, moving on to ask her questions about her boyfriend, her weekend plans and her dreams of becoming a nurse. But just minutes later as she exited the freeway, ICE agents pulled her over again. She was arrested and taken to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility outside Denver. Goncalves' name and travel details had been shared in a multi-agency law enforcement group chat, originally intended to coordinate drug trafficking enforcement - but now revealed to be quietly exploited by federal immigration agents. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office has since confirmed its deputies, including Zwinck, were part of the chat group and said it was unaware the information was being used for ICE arrests. The department has pulled out of the group and placed Zwinck on leave pending an investigation. 'This use of information is contradictory to Colorado law… Unfortunately, it resulted in the later contact between ICE and Miss Dias Goncalves,' the agency said in a public statement. Goncalves' full statement, released days after her release, paints a harrowing picture of life inside the Aurora facility. 'We were given soggy wet food - even the bread was all soggy. We were kept on confusing schedules,' she wrote. 'And the moment they realized I spoke English, I saw a change - suddenly I was treated better than others who didn't. That broke my heart.' Despite having lived in the US since she was seven years old, Goncalves said she was 'treated like I didn't matter.' Her detention occurred amid President Donald Trump's renewed push to ramp up deportations, particularly in Democratic-run cities. The administration has publicly instructed ICE to prioritize arrests in urban hubs like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, where, Trump claims, 'Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.' His immigration architect, Stephen Miller, has called for 3,000 arrests per day - a staggering increase over the daily averages early in Trump's first term. And although enforcement actions in high-traffic industries like agriculture and hospitality have reportedly been paused, the president has continued to push for visible, symbolic crackdowns such as Goncalves' arrest. Her statement is telling both in its emotional honesty and unexpected grace. 'I hope no one else has to go through what I did. But I know that right now, over 1,300 people are still in that same nightmare in Aurora detention,' she wrote. 'They are just like me - people who've grown up here, who love this country, who want nothing more than a chance to belong.' She reserved special thanks for her attorney, her family, community groups, and the US senators who intervened on her behalf. She also gave credit to her best friends and legal fund supporters - more than $28,000 has been raised for her case through GoFundMe. And yet, despite the trauma, Goncalves did not call for punishment or retribution for Zwinck, who according to her own account expressed regret even as he followed protocol. 'Immigrants like me - we're not asking for anything special. Just a fair chance to adjust our status, to feel safe, and to keep building the lives we've worked so hard for.' After 15 days in detention, Goncalves says she's returning to work, school, and 'healing.' 'I'm going to try to move forward now... but I won't forget this. And I hope others won't either.' Goncalves is a recipient of the national scholarship, granted to undocumented students pursuing higher education. She is studying to become a nurse. While her father's asylum case remains pending, her own legal status hangs in the balance. It is understood her family arrived in the US on a tourist visa, which they overstayed.
