Detainees escape from immigrant detention center due to power outage

In the United States, two men were able to escape from an immigration detention center near Denver after a power outage occurred. The escape took place on Tuesday evening, specifically around 9:30 p.m. MDT, when the electrical failure caused the back doors of the facility to open, allowing the detainees to flee. Aurora police discovered that the men were missing during a headcount that was conducted early Wednesday morning, and they realized that the door had inadvertently opened during the power outage. This incident raised concerns about the security protocols at the facility and the response time of local law enforcement. Authorities identified the escapees as Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, originally from Venezuela, and Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, from Mexico. Reports indicated that ICE officials only confirmed the absence of the detainees at approximately 12:35 a.m. MDT, which was about three hours after the power outage and several hours after they initially escaped. Police records show that ICE reached out for assistance after noticing their absence, which hindered the potential to recapture the men quickly. The power outage not only opened the doors but reportedly might have damaged parts of the facility’s security system, enabling the escapees to bypass security and exit the establishment. Local laws in Colorado limit cooperation between state and federal authorities on immigration matters, which may have further complicated the law enforcement response to the escape. Aurora police stated that they were not notified promptly and only received information about the escape two hours after the men had escaped. As of the latest updates, both men are still at large, prompting a manhunt from both ICE and local authorities. In response to the escape, there has been criticism of the security measures in place at the detention center. The GEO Group, a private company managing the detention facility, stated that corrective actions would be implemented to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. This incident has sparked discussions around immigration policies and the effectiveness of existing systems to manage individuals in custody, especially during emergencies.